Let's Sail Away
by Corri18
Summary: A cruise is the ideal vacation... or so you may think. Language, Violence, Cross Dressing... Hiei POV
1. Part 1 Vacation

Let's Sail Away  
By Corri-chan  
  
Sequel to: When Animals Attack  
  
Prologue  
  
The Yu Yu Hakusho gang has gotten used to their little outings. After an amusement park though, as well as a zoo, where is there to go? It's spring  
time in Japan, and the Cherry Blossoms are blooming. The Yu Yu Gang is  
enjoying spring break, but it's too quiet in their small neighborhood. Suddenly, lo and behold, Kurama suggests another vacation idea... one that  
doesn't seem so bad!  
  
"Let's sail away," Kurama joked with a smile. So, to the cruise ship they  
go!  
  
But things seem to be more complicated than they appear. After a run in with some familiar friends, Hiei and the others get into trouble. Maybe a  
cruise wasn't such a good idea after all.  
  
Corri-chan – Hiei  
  
I watched quietly as Kurama talked to the human man. Kurama smiled as he gave him money in exchange for two onigiris (rice balls). Then, bowing politely, Kurama turned and walked back to my side. Getting up from the bench, I began to walk with him through the park. Kurama handed me on one of the rice balls as he bit into his. We walked and ate in silence while observing the large Cherry Blossom trees.  
Personally, I hadn't wanted to go out. Being around so many ningens made me irritated... but there was something about the Cherry Blossom trees that could calm your soul. Because of this, I never objected when Kurama asked me to come with him to the park.  
Suddenly, Kurama stopped in front of one of the many trees. I stopped and looked at him inquisitively. The kitsune youkai closed his eyes and sighed heavily.  
"What is it Kurama?" I asked with an air of impatience in my voice. Sometimes I just couldn't understand him. How could a demon of his caliber be so carefree? Just then, Kurama's eyes shot open and he turned to me with a smile.  
"Let's sail away!" He exclaimed joyously. My eyes narrowed as I hissed:  
"Nani?" Kurama's smile only widened.  
"I mean, let's go on a cruise! Let's go sail out to sea where no one can touch us and just enjoy ourselves!" He said excitedly.  
"Don't be an ass Kurama," I muttered as I turned and began to walk away. A few seconds later, Kurama hurried back to my side.  
"Hiei, I'm serious! Please, let's go on a cruise. Not a cruise like the one at the Dark Tournament- a real one!" He pleaded. I wanted to say: "I'm serious too," but instead, I looked at him. His eyes were wide and pleading. I let out a sigh.  
"What the hell. Let's go," I agreed. Kurama's smile instantly returned.  
"Arigatou. I'm sure we'll have a great time," He promised. I highly doubted this, but said nothing. Hadn't I promised myself I wouldn't be dragged into another of Kurama's adventures? Every time I went somewhere with him, something strange happened. Well, at least those idiots wouldn't be coming along... I specifically thought of Kuwabara and grinned. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad...  
  
* * * * *  
"Damn you Kurama!" I yelled the next day.  
"Now, calm down Hiei," Kurama said nervously. But I had had enough.  
"Iie- N-O- No! I am not going if they're coming along," I said stubbornly. It seemed that I hadn't been the only one invited on this cruise vacation- Yusuke, Keiko, Yukina, Botan, Shizuru, and yes, even Kuwabara, had all been invited as well. Kurama looked at me helplessly, but I remained firm. "I will not spend one night with that yaro," I decided aloud, referring to Kuwabara.  
"But Hiei, Yukina-chan will be there as well," Kurama reminded me. I twitched angrily at this and shouted:  
"Stop trying to convince me kitsune! I'm not being dragged into this no matter what you say!" Kurama sighed heavily.  
"And here I thought that being in completely separate classes that you'd still want to come! Can you bear being on the same ship with them- even if they're three decks below us?" Kurama asked in a sorrowful tone. Three decks below? They were in the lowest class, while we were in the highest? Slowly, I looked into Kurama's bright green eyes. I searched them thoroughly, and he never blinked. Well... that was a lot of wood between them and me. Perhaps I could deal with it for a little while.  
"Fine. But if they bother me in the slightest way, you shall be the one to pay," I vowed. Kurama smiled thankfully.  
"Arigatou gozaimasu Hiei! I knew you'd come around," He said cheerfully. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Why did I fell like I'd regret this?  
  
* * * * *  
  
"I hate you," I seethed as I listened to the others laugh and talk behind us.  
"How was I supposed to know they changed their minds at the last second and bought first class tickets?" Kurama asked weakly.  
"Because you know everything," I spat sarcastically.  
"Hardly Hiei- no one in the world knows one millionth of anything," Kurama replied. I glared at him with all my anger.  
"Don't push it Kurama- I'm about ready to kill you," I explained. Kurama looked at me with such despair that I had to turn away. He was so... I couldn't even find the words! Now I would have to spend a whole week next- door to Yusuke and the others. I would have to deal with Kuwabara drooling over my innocent sister as well. If I didn't snap, it would be a miracle in itself. Just listening to Kuwabara made my whole body itch for a fight. To try and keep my cool, I focused on the ship.  
I had to say- I was impressed. The first class had all hard wood floors on deck, polished banisters, and a new paint job. We had recently set sail, and I could see Japan growing smaller and smaller behind us. The crystal clear water sparkled in the sunlight, and in a strange way, reminded me of Yukina... so pure and beautiful.  
"Hiei, how are you?" Someone asked, breaking me out of my thoughts. Surprised, I turned to look at my sister Yukina. The others had stopped in front of three wooden doors- our assigned quarters.  
"Fine," I replied quickly. "Why do you ask?" I went on. Yukina just smiled.  
"I haven't seen you in a while. I was worried about you," She explained. I tried to hide my surprise by nodding. She and Kurama were alike in the way they were both compassionate and kind. In a way, I envied their free spirits. I knew I could never be like that. I was surprised to see Yukina join the other girls in one room as Kuwabara and Yusuke entered another. Kurama opened the last door before turning to me.  
"This is our room," He explained as I entered the quarters after him. I studied the room in approval. The finest of furniture dotted the room and chandeliers lighted the room. On the far wall was a window showing the open sea, and two large beds with silk sheets. The bathroom, which I soon saw, was created out of marble and had both a hot tub and shower. The mini kitchen had all the latest appliances and hard wood floors. Hanging on the wall, was a menu for room service and a list of events going on during the cruise.  
"Hn," I muttered thoughtfully.  
"Do you like it?" Kurama asked as he came up behind me.  
"It's suitable," I answered. Kurama nodded.  
"I'm glad you like it," Kurama said happily. I tried to hide the small smile on my lips. There was no hiding from Kurama. I guess that was one of the reasons why I had stayed with him so long. He understood me and could fight just as well... there was no other demon like him.  
I stared at Kurama. Would it kill me to show my feelings? At least... to him? I knew it would be hard, but I felt like I had to try. Taking a deep breath I said: "It's perfect. Good job Kurama." Immediately, Kurama's eyes widened in surprise. He blinked a few times before placing his hand on my forehead.  
"Hiei, are you sick?" He asked incredulously. Shutting my eyes, I clenched my teeth and swiped his hand away.  
"Forget it," I growled in embarrassment. Reopening my eyes, I stormed out of the room and out the door to the open deck. Leaning over the rail, I stared down at the crashing waves. Stupid. That's what it was. Stupid emotions.  
"Hiei-kun?!" A surprised voice asked. With my hand reaching for my hidden katana, I whirled around. When I saw who it was though, my eyes widened and my hand dropped back down to my side.  
"Inu-ko?" I questioned. Great- now I would have to deal with more annoying people. Her brown eyes watered as she exclaimed:  
"You remember me?" Softening slightly, I retorted:  
"Yes, you should feel honored." Wiping her eyes, Inu-ko giggled. Awkwardly, I looked at her. She was almost a head taller than I was and her short hair had grown further past her shoulders. She was dressed in a black bikini, but had a see-through skirt that covered her legs. Her whole body was tanned, giving her a Hispanic look.  
"What are you doing here?" She asked curiously.  
"Kurama dragged me," I explained curtly. Blushing slightly, she said:  
"Tomoyo-chan and Kara-chan dragged me here too." For a while, we both looked over the water at the setting sun. I was surprised that Kurama hadn't come after me, but he always knew when I needed my space. Finally, Corri announced: "Well, I have to go eat dinner with my friends in the dining room... ja ne Hiei-kun."  
I watched her go before turning back to the water. Perhaps I would tell Kurama that our fans were here. He'd insist that we say hello... at least then I'd have an excuse to see them.  
The three girls amused me. They weren't as annoying as Kuwabara, Yusuke, and Botan. It was strange, but the attention Kurama and I received from them was uplifting. I shook my head. Maybe I had been breathing in too much sea air. Slowly, I made my way back to my quarters and opened the door.  
"Kurama?" I questioned cautiously. The cabin was quiet... too quiet. Shutting the door behind me, I drew my sword and scanned the area. "Oi- Kurama!" I said a little louder. Suddenly, the sound of running water filled my ears. Curiously, I made my way towards the bathroom. The door was slightly ajar and light was pouring out. Narrowing my eyes, I tightened the grip on my sword, and without a second thought, ran inside.  
I skidded to a halt though when I saw Kurama sitting in a sea of bubbles inside the hot tub- completely naked. He was in the process of shampooing his red hair when he turned and saw me. His face became the color of a tomato- I wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment, anger, or both. Sinking lower into the tub he screamed:  
"Hiei, you bastard! Learn to knock!" Surprised to have been cursed at by Kurama of all people, I only blinked. Reddening even more, Kurama took a bar of soap and threw it at my head. I dodged speedily before turning and running back into the main room. A moment later, the bathroom door slammed shut and I could hear it lock.  
"Kustare," I muttered angrily. How dare he curse at me? He was the one who hadn't answered! I would get him back soon enough... Now in a bad mood, and unwilling to face Kurama, I decided to go down to the dining hall and have something to eat. Maybe if I were lucky, I would be able to find Inu-ko and the others. Quickly checking a map next to the menu on the wall, I discovered where the food was being served and walked out the door. As I was turning a corner though, I ran into someone.  
"Watch it," I growled, but when I saw it was Yukina, I immediately felt ashamed.  
"I'm so sorry Hiei, please forgive me," She begged.  
"No, it's all right. I thought you were someone else," I assured her quickly. Yukina just nodded and smiled, which made me feel worse. Deciding to make it up to her, I asked:  
"Would you like to come to dinner with me?" Immediately, my sister's eyes lit up.  
"That would be wonderful- thanks!" I just shrugged.  
"It's no big deal. I was just wondering because I thought you might be hungry," I lied. Yukina shook her head in understanding, and together, we began to walk in the direction of the dining room.  
When Yukina and I finally entered the dining room, I had to stop and take a deep breath. Everything was white and shimmed in the light of the chandeliers. The glass tables, fine silverware, and even the chairs all seemed to shine. Amongst all of it, I felt my black clothes stand out like a sore thumb. Waiters dressed in white tuxedos carted around food to different tables, and on a stage in the center of the room, an orchestra was playing. I almost turned and left, but before I could, Yukina took my hand and led me to an empty table.  
Calmly, I took a seat, meeting the stares I received with a cold glare. When people finally turned back to their conversations, I allowed myself to relax slightly. Yukina busied herself with looking at the menu, but I didn't study it right away. Slowly, I scanned the room for any familiar faces... but the room was so large that it was impossible to see everything with normal vision. Making sure nobody was watching, I opened my Jagan eye and looked through my headband to the far side of the dining hall. Just like I had suspected, Inu-ko, Tomoyo, and Kara were there eating- all dressed in beautiful evening gowns.  
I began to read their lips, but before I could understand their conversation, someone nudged me and my eye snapped shut. 


	2. Part 2 Karaoke

"What?!" I asked a little too loudly. I turned to find my startled sister with a waiter at her side. The music had stopped and everybody was staring at me. Fuming, I looked at Yukina.  
"Hiei, are you ready to order?" She asked gently.  
Smiling, the waiter said: "Perhaps the young sir would prefer the kid's menu?" Knowing instantly that he was referring to my height I retorted:  
"No, I'm quite fine with eating from the adult menu, and unless you want to be eating those words, I suggest you bring the best that you have and fast." Daunted by my smooth come back, the waiter bowed hastily and walked away. The music resumed and conversation filled the air once again. Seeing that the waiter had left sake, I poured myself a glass and drank deeply. Yukina just smiled and turned to the stage.  
After I had finished three small cups, a different waiter returned with our food. I smiled smugly- coward. Just as Yukina and I started to eat, a hush fell over the crowd. Curiously, we both turned our attention to the stage, which was now fully lit and devoid of any people. I couldn't believe my eyes when a man with wavy brown hair and 'Jr.' written on his forehead stepped up to the microphone. Like usual, he was sucking on his blue pacifier. What was he doing here?  
"Hello everyone, and welcome to the deluxe, Yu Yu Hakusho cruise line! This is a ship designed to advertise and support Yu Yu Hakusho as well as provide more money to build on to my fabulous castle in Spirit World. I thank you all for coming to see me, the almighty Koenma. The next few nights will be filled with entertainment provided by none other than the Yu Yu Hakusho cast themselves!" He exclaimed. After he said this, a spot light zoomed in on my table and murmurs broke out through the crowd.  
"Hiei, what's going on?" Yukina questioned nervously. I wasn't sure how to answer, so I didn't reply. Thankfully, the spot light soon switched to another table. My mouth dropped open in surprise when I saw it was now hovering above Yusuke, Keiko, Botan, Kuwabara, and Shizuru. The only one missing was-  
"Kurama, perfect timing," Koenma stated with glee. The light immediately turned to the doorway where Kurama stood, his hair still wet from his bath. He blushed as girls called out to him, offering him their services and flirting shamelessly. I could hear Tomoyo screaming at them to leave him alone, but her shouts were soon drowned out by the other guests.  
"What's the meaning of this Koenma?" Kurama asked as he began to walk towards the stage.  
"Yes, we're dying to hear an explanation," I added as I got to my feet. I was still mad at Kurama, but right now, Koenma was my target. A second later, I was by Kurama's side.  
"When you asked me to invite all of the others because of the free tickets you had given me, you never mentioned anything about us performing," Kurama said crossly. At this, I stopped and turned to Kurama.  
"You knew about this all along? You knew we were all invited? You knew we'd all be together in first class?!" I raged in disbelief. Kurama glanced at me apologetically, but I glared back. As soon as we got out of this, we would be having a long... 'talk'.  
"Now, now boys, we must do our best for the fans!" Koenma said as he took a slow step back.  
"Yeah right- you just want to use us!" Yusuke yelled angrily. He too got to his feet and joined us. The last to stand, was Kuwabara.  
"Urameshi is right! We aren't your private show dogs! We're people!" He yelled. The four of us stood together, united in our rage towards Koenma.  
"This is low, even for you Koenma," Botan agreed with a sigh. Koenma seemed to give up.  
"Come on you guys- I'll make it up to you! If you do what I want for just a week, then you can have one wish. I'll give you anything you want!" Koenma promised. This proposition was appealing, but before I agreed, I looked to Kurama. He appeared deep in thought. Finally he said:  
"All right. We'll do what you wish." Immediately, the guests began to cheer in approval. At least the fans weren't all crazy teenage girls like our other followers. Still, what did Koenma have planned for us?  
  
* * * * *  
  
"You want us to dress in drag and dance?!" Yusuke demanded in disbelief. I stared at Koenma incredulously.  
The four of us had gone behind the stage into Koenma's office where he promptly returned to his toddler form. There, he had began to explain his plans for the night... the first being a dance party. We would be the guests of honor, but for some reason, Koenma proposed that we should dress as girls. I laughed silently. Kurama had a hard time getting me to wear hippie clothes! What made Koenma think I'd dress as a girl? The others were just as enraged, but only Yusuke and Kuwabara cared to show it. They shouted insult after insult, venting all their frustration on Koenma. Kurama and I merely watched in silent irritation.  
"Fine, fine! But at least do Karaoke!" Koenma pleaded. The room fell silent as the four of us all exchanged glances. Karaoke?  
"Well, it can't be worst than having to sing in the amusement park..." Kurama trailed.  
"Or the zoo," Kuwabara reminded us. They did have a point. And if all of us were doing it together... what the hell? Might as well get it over with! Kurama looked to me, and I nodded slowly.  
"All right," Kurama agreed. Yusuke and Kuwabara shook their heads. Finally, Yusuke said:  
"If fox boy is okay with it, then I'm in. What about you Kuwabara- Hiei?"  
"Let's just get it over with. The sooner we do this, the sooner we get our wish," I said darkly. Koenma gulped as I looked straight at him.  
"Fine then- let's go! Shorty agrees, so I'm definitely in," Kuwabara declared. Koenma breathed a sigh of relief.  
"Good. Now all you have to do is pick out your costumes while I talk to the crowd. Go in the back room, okay? Chow!" Koenma bade. Before any of us could object, Koenma turned into his older form and ran out of the office, slamming the door behind him.  
"Man, that toddler gets on my nerves! I just don't see why he's the leader of Spirit World!" Yusuke exclaimed angrily.  
"I know how you feel, but someone has to rule while King Enma is away," Kurama said softly. Yusuke rolled his eyes.  
"Yeah, I guess so," He replied, still unconvinced.  
"Let's stop wasting time- come on," Kuwabara urged as he opened the door Koenma had motioned to. With a sigh, the rest of us followed. As we walked into the room, I whispered to Kurama:  
"I'm only wearing black- I refuse to look like a hippie again." Kurama laughed gently and nodded.  
"Wow!" Kuwabara exclaimed, causing us all to turn to him. "Look at all this stuff!" He went on. All of our mouths dropped open in amazement. We were all standing in the middle of a giant closet, filled with row upon row of clothes. On the right, was women's apparel, and on the left, there were men's garments. Instantly, Kuwabara and Yusuke began looking through the first few racks while Kurama and I made our way to the back rows.  
Together, we began thumbing through the outfits. There were many different styles- street, royal, punk, prep, old fashioned- everything you could imagine, from cheap to priceless. Where had Koenma gotten all of these clothes?  
"Oh, Hiei! I think I found you the perfect outfit!" Kurama announced excitedly. I whirled around to face Kurama, ready to yell and protest if need be, but to my surprise, he was holding something that I actually liked. It was different from my regular clothes, but it was still the same color scheme. The pants seemed tight, but they were leather, so that was expected. Along with the pants was a matching vest and long sleeved black shirt. Chains hung from the pockets, and there was even a place to put a sword sheath. I stared at Kurama, amazed that he had found something that fit my interests. Seeing my surprise, he handed it to me and smiled.  
"Glad you like it. Now, I really must find something for myself..." He trailed. With that, he proceeded to the next row, leaving me with the clothes in my hands. I looked down at them curiously, wondering where I should get changed. Finally, I saw a small door labeled: "Dressing Room". Leaving Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama, I turned the knob and went inside.  
In the room I found tables with makeup piled upon them as well as many mirrors of different sizes. Standing behind the door in case anyone decided to come in, I stripped off my clothes and put on the costume. Once I had finished, I looked in one of the full-length mirrors. The clothes fit perfectly, which was surprising. I turned in every direction, inspecting myself at all angles. Then secretly, I smiled.  
Humming a song I knew, I spun in a circle and began to dance. I moved my arms and hips, and almost started to sing when I suddenly heard the door swing open. I froze with my hands above my head and turned to see who it was.  
"Kurama you yaro! Learn to knock," I growled, throwing his words back at him. Kurama frowned as he threw the clothes he was holding on to a nearby chair. Placing his hands on his hips, he looked to me in disapproval.  
"And what were you doing that was so private?" He demanded.  
"Fixing my hair," I murmured lamely as I brought my hands down to rake through my long black strands. Kurama laughed loudly.  
"Oh Hiei, you're so strange," He teased. I fumed silently, letting my hands fall back down to my side. Smiling gently, Kurama said: "You look good in that." I turned away, determined not to let Kurama know I was pleased. Kurama laughed again. "Do you mind stepping outside? I'm going to get dressed now," He said.  
"Hn," I replied as I made my way to the door. I could feel Kurama watching me, but I ignored his gaze. Once I had left the room, I closed the door firmly behind me and leaned against the wall. I watched quietly for a few minutes before Kurama reemerged. I turned to him and couldn't believe what I saw.  
Kurama was dressed in a flowing red shirt with long poofy sleeves, and on the back was the image of a flowering rose. It was open in the middle, revealing his muscular chest. The pants he wore were a tight black material, and had emeralds going down the side. On the back pocket was a white fox.  
"Ha. Now you look like the hippie. Are those really men's clothes Kurama?" I asked with a short laugh. Kurama blushed slightly before answering.  
"Actually, the pants are women's, but all of the pants I saw were too baggy or the wrong color," He admitted. I shook my head.  
"You're enjoying this, aren't you kitsune?" I assumed. Kurama just looked at me with a twinkle in his eye. I took that as a yes.  
Just then, Yusuke and Kuwabara walked up, costumes in hand. The looked at us, exchanged glances, and broke out laughing.  
"Nani?" I demanded irritably.  
"Nothing. It's just that you two look like a couple of guys from a boy band. Trying to impress the ladies?" Yusuke exclaimed as he nudged me in the ribs.  
"Hn. Don't be a fool. I would never do this if it weren't for Koenma," I reminded him coldly.  
"Maybe so, but you look pretty funny," Kuwabara chuckled. I glared at him while wearing a grim smile.  
"Even if I do, you don't need any help. You might as well go out as you are," I answered coolly.  
"What did you say shorty?!" Kuwabara demanded. Before I could answer though, Yusuke pushed Kuwabara into the dressing room and went in after him. Grinning at us he said:  
"Give us a minute and we'll be right out." Kurama and I nodded and smiled while listening to Kuwabara's muffled protests. Yusuke shut the door and we continued to wait. After a few minutes had passed, the two stepped out and we both looked to them curiously.  
Yusuke hadn't changed much. He still wore baggy pants, but this time, he was dressed in white. He had a matching jacket on, and a black muscle shirt underneath that. Kuwabara looked strange as usual. He wore blue jeans, a white shirt with cut off sleeves, and a Jean jacket with all sorts of logos sewn on the front. Finally, we were all ready.  
Just then, someone else stepped into the room- Botan. She was dressed in her familiar pink kimono and greeted us with a smile.  
"Hello boys! Are you ready? Everyone's waiting," She explained. In unison, we looked to one another and nodded.  
"Show us the way Botan," Yusuke ordered. Giggling girlishly as she scanned us from head to toe, Botan motioned for us to follow her as she exited the giant closet. Moments later, we were back on the stage, and it seemed like word of our performance had spread, because the room was packed.  
A karaoke machine had been set out along with four microphones. The girls, along with Koenma were sitting at the table closest to the stage.  
"Well... who wants to go first?" Yusuke wondered. We all stood in silence for a moment, listening to the excited crowd. Suddenly, a girl screamed:  
"Kurama! Kurama, we love you!" Grinning, Yusuke pushed Kurama forward and said:  
"You heard them fox boy! They're calling for you!" Smiling sheepishly, Kurama nodded and stepped up to the microphone. Practically all of the girls screamed in delight. Kurama waved as cameras went off and he began thumbing through the song selection. Finally, he found one and pushed a button to start the music. It appeared he had chosen an English selection. I listened with interest to the words he sang. 


	3. Part 3 More fun

"On that sunny day  
Didn't know I'd meet  
Such a beautiful girl  
Walking down the street  
Seen those bright brown eyes  
With tears coming down  
She deserves a crown  
But where is it now  
Mamma listen  
  
Senorita, I feel for you  
You deal with things, that you don't have to  
He doesn't love ya, I can tell by his charm  
But you could feel this real love  
If you just lay in my...  
  
Running fast in my mind  
Girl won't you slow it down  
If we carry on this way  
This thing might leave the ground  
How would you like to fly?  
Does summer queen you right?  
But you still deserve a crown  
Well hasn't it been found?  
Mamma listen  
  
Senorita, I feel for you  
(Feel for you)  
You deal with things, that you don't have to  
(No, no)  
He doesn't love ya, I can tell by his charm  
(He don't love ya baby)  
But you could feel this real love  
(Feel it)  
If you just lay in my...  
  
Ah, ah, arms...  
(Won't you lay in my)  
Ah, ah, arms...  
(Mama lay in my)  
Ah, ah, arms...  
(Baby won't you lay in my)  
Ah, ah, arms...  
  
When I look into your eyes  
I see something that money can't buy  
And I know if you give us a try  
I'll work hard for you girl  
And no longer will you ever have to cry  
  
Senorita, I feel for you  
You deal with things, that you don't have to  
(Deal with things you don't have to)  
He doesn't love ya, I can tell by his charm  
(No, no)  
But you could feel this real love  
(Feel it)  
If you just lay in my...  
  
Ah, ah, arms...  
(Whoa)  
Ah, ah, arms...  
(My baby)  
Ah, ah, arms...  
(Oooh, yea)  
Ah, ah, arms...  
  
When I look into your eyes  
I see something that money can't buy  
And I know if you give us a try  
I'll work hard for you girl  
You won't ever cry  
  
Now listen  
I wanna try some right now  
See they don't do this anymore  
I'ma sing something  
And I want the guys to sing with me  
They go  
"It feels like something's heating up, can I leave with you?"  
And then the ladies go  
"I don't know what I'm thinking bout, really leaving with you"  
  
Guys sing  
It feels like something's heating up, can I leave with you?  
And ladies  
I don't know what I'm thinking bout, really leaving with you  
Feels good don't it, come on  
It feels like something's heating up, can I leave with you?  
Yea, ladies  
I don't know what I'm thinking bout, really leaving with you  
Show the good to me  
  
Sing it one more time  
It feels like something's heating up, can I leave with you?  
Ladies  
I don't know what I'm thinking bout, really leaving with you  
Yea, yea..  
It feels like something's heating up, can I leave with you?  
Ladies  
I don't know what I'm thinking bout, really leaving with you  
  
Gentlemen, good night  
Ladies, good morning  
(laughs)  
That's it."  
  
The girls cheered ecstatically as Kurama took a bow. As he walked back towards us, I folded my arms and muttered:  
"Hn." Kurama just smiled.  
"Way to go Kurama! You sure know how to impress the ladies!" Kuwabara crowed. Kurama laughed lightly while the crowd continued to cheer behind him. Yusuke tapped his foot impatiently.  
"Yeah, yeah- good job Kurama. Now, who's going next?" Urameshi questioned. Kuwabara and I instantly glanced at each other, then at Yusuke.  
"I guess I'll go," Kuwabara decided. We both nodded and watched as Kuwabara began walking towards the microphone. Before he even touched it though, the booing began.  
"Get off the stage, ugly!" Someone screamed.  
"What?" Kuwabara asked in surprise.  
"You heard us! Go back! Give us Hiei!" A girl answered. Secretly, I was both shocked and flattered. They actually wanted me to sing? I couldn't suppress a low laugh as Kuwabara got food thrown at him. Just as he turned to retreat, he got hit with pie in the back of the head. Kurama placed a hand over his mouth to hide a smile as Kuwabara returned, but Yusuke showed no shame in laughing at his friend.  
"You're so pathetic that our own fans rejected you!" Yusuke laughed.  
"Shut up Urameshi! Just wait till you get up there!" Kuwabara growled.  
"You two do that. In the meantime, let me show you how it's done," I said smoothly. Kuwabara and Yusuke both gawked while Kurama stared at me in astonishment. Calmly, I walked past them to the stage. Grabbing the microphone, I heard the crowd roar. Trying to ignore the tumult of the crowd, I flipped through the songs. First I went through the Japanese selections, but they were too happy and sunny to fit my style. (Botan probably picked them.)  
I began looking through the English selections and was surprised to see one I recognized. With a grin, I looked over the lyrics and then pressed the confirmation button. Grabbing the microphone, I sang.  
"Ooh, let's go  
  
Steve walks warily down the street  
  
With the brim pulled way down low  
  
Ain't no sound but the sound of his feet  
  
Machine guns ready to go  
  
Are you ready, hey, are you ready for this  
  
Are you hangin' on the edge of your seat  
  
Out of the doorway the bullets rip  
  
To the sound of the beat - yeah  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
And another one gone and another one gone  
  
Another one bites the dust, eh  
  
Hey, I'm gonna get you too  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
How do you think I'm going to get along  
  
Without you when you're gone  
  
You took me for everything that I had  
  
And kicked me out on my own  
  
Are you happy ? Are you satisfied?  
  
How long can you stand the heat  
  
Out of the doorway the bullets rip  
  
To the sound of the beat  
  
Look out  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
And another one gone and another one gone  
  
Another one bites the dust, eh  
  
Hey, I'm gonna get you too  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
Hey  
  
Oh take it  
  
Bites the dust - bite the dust hey  
  
Hey  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
Another one bites the dust, ow  
  
Another one bites the dust, hey hey  
  
Another one bites the dust, heeey  
  
Ooh show down  
  
There are plenty of ways that you can hurt a man  
  
And bring him to the ground  
  
You can beat him  
  
You can cheat him  
  
You can treat him bad and leave him  
  
When he's down, yeah  
  
But I'm ready, yes I'm ready for you  
  
I'm standing on my own two feet  
  
Out of the doorway the bullets rip  
  
Repeating to the sound of the beat  
  
Oh yeah  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
And another one gone and another one gone  
  
Another one bites the dust, yeah  
  
Hey, I'm gonna get you too  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
Shoot out  
  
Hey, alright."  
  
As I finished, the crowd burst into applause. Placing my hands in my pockets, I walked back to where Kurama and the others were standing. They had stunned expressions on their faces. I showed no emotion although I was pleased by their reactions.  
"Wow Hiei... that was really good," Kurama complimented.  
"Don't sound so surprised Kurama," I instructed, my voice dripping with sarcasm. The kitsune youkai laughed and shook his head.  
"Well, I guess it's my turn then," Yusuke announced as he cracked his knuckles and shuffled from side to side. "Wish me luck," He added with a grin. The three of us watched him walk onto the stage, and although the noise wasn't as deafening, he still received praise and applause. Kuwabara instantly began to mouth off, and for once, I didn't say a word. I had some sympathy for the poor fool. He had never gotten to sing. I listened in silence as he vented his frustration. Yusuke thumbed through songs. When he finally selected one, the room grew quiet. Like Kurama and I, he had picked an English song.  
"I am a little bit of loneliness a little bit of disregard  
  
Handful of complaints but I can't help the fact that everybody can see  
  
these scars  
  
I am what I want you to want what I want you to feel  
  
But it's like no matter what I do, I can't convince you, to just believe  
  
this is real  
  
So I let go, watching you, turn your back like you always do  
  
Face away and pretend that I'm not  
  
But I'll be here cause you want what I've got  
  
(I can't feel the way I did before)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
  
(Time won't heal this damage anymore)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
  
I am a little bit insecure a little unconfident  
  
Cause you don't understand I do what I can but sometimes I don't make  
  
sense  
  
I say what you never wanna say but I've never had a doubt  
  
It's like no matter what I do I can't convince you for once just to hear  
  
me out  
  
So I let go watching you turn your back like you always do  
  
Face away and pretend that I'm not  
  
But I'll be here 'cause you're all that I've got  
  
(I can't feel the way I did before)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
  
(Time won't heal this damage anymore)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
  
(Now)  
  
(Hear me out now)  
  
(You're gonna listen to me, like it or not)  
  
(Right now)  
  
(Hear me out now)  
  
(You're gonna listen to me, like it or not)  
  
(Right now)  
  
(I can't feel the way I did before)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
  
(I can't feel the way I did before)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
  
(Time won't heal this damage anymore)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
  
(I can't feel the way I did before)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
  
(Time won't heal this damage anymore)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
  
I can't feel  
  
I won't be ignored  
  
Time won't heal  
  
Don't turn your back on me  
  
I won't be ignored."  
  
It was unusual for Yusuke to sing so well, but the crowd seemed to enjoy it. As he walked back, he grinned at Kuwabara, causing him to scowl in response. Suddenly, Koenma stepped up to the microphone.  
"Great job boys. I'm sure the fans enjoyed it- Koenma was cut off as the crowd cheered. After the noise died down, he went on. "We have decided to save the dance party for tomorrow night. For now, the stage is open for karaoke as well as the pool on the second deck. Enjoy your night," Koenma finished. Immediately, guests began lining up to sing. In the meantime, I turned to go get changed. Kurama followed after me, but Yusuke and Kuwabara did not. I assumed that they planned to mingle with the crowd.  
When Kurama and I returned to the dressing room, we grabbed our clothes, then exchanged glances. "Hiei," Kurama began. I looked to him, my gaze questioning. Kurama shifted his weight onto another foot and looked away. "Hiei, it's still early. Why don't we go and watch the singers?" I shook my head.  
"I have no desire to watch human entertainment." Kurama was silent for a moment, and together, we began to walk back to the dining room.  
"Well... how about going swimming?" He asked hopefully. I sighed. To tell the truth, I was still annoyed with him. All I wanted to do was go and sleep so I could escape the Ningenkai- even if it was just momentarily. I noticed that when I never answered, Kurama didn't press the subject. Finally, we reached our room.  
Without speaking, we went into different rooms and changed back into our normal clothes. I sat on my bed till Kurama came out of the bathroom. He sat down beside me and stared at the floor. The silence between us gave me a feeling of guilt. I could tell that he was trying to apologize, but I wasn't ready to accept it. However, seeing Kurama, my only true friend, worrying about my feelings made me sick. I didn't want him to be concerned. Hoping to take his mind off of me, I spoke up.  
"Why are we sitting here? Didn't you say something a bout a pool?" I questioned roughly. Kurama looked at me in surprise.  
"Hai, but I thought-  
"Forget what you thought Kurama. Did you bring bathing suits?" I interrupted.  
Kurama nodded and smiled. Reaching under his bed, he pulled out his suitcase and began to sort through it. I stared in awe at his many clothes and hair products. Finally, he pulled out two pairs of swim trunks- one red, one black. He handed me the darker pair and then put everything away. I stared at him, not sure if it was worth asking or not.  
"What is it Hiei?" Kurama asked curiously. Slowly, I questioned:  
"Kurama... are you... um... gay?" The fox youkai blinked a few times in astonishment.  
"Hiei...um... no, I'm not gay. Why would you ask that?" He wondered.  
"You collect clothes like a girl and wear pink like a pansy- plus you have long hair..." I stated, slightly embarrassed. Kurama laughed.  
"You think I'm gay because of my clothes? Hiei, my mother buys all my clothes, and although I love her to death, she doesn't have the greatest fashion sense. I guess her style has rubbed off one me," Kurama explained. I nodded, relieved. "Besides, I have red hair. It looks better long and it goes well with lighter colors," He went on. I just continued to shake my head in understanding. "Well, you should probably get changed," Kurama suggested as he returned to the bathroom.  
Immediately, I removed my clothes and slipped on the swim trunks. A moment later, Kurama emerged in his bathing suit holding two towels.  
"Ready?" He asked cheerfully. I forced a small smile, and Kurama's mood instantly improved. "Let's go!" Kurama exclaimed.  
Together, we walked down the hall and a flight of stairs to a part of the deck that was fully lit. A huge pool stretched out before us, and joyful music was playing. Waiters were distributing drinks to the bikini- clad girls and muscular guys who were hanging around the pool. The humans were talking, laughing, diving, and splashing. Everyone appeared happy and content... what a joke. I almost regretted coming until I looked at Kurama's face. It shone with happiness and joy. Seeing him like that- relaxed, at peace- satisfied. That's what made it worth it. As we made our way towards the pool, I forgot everything Kurama had done in the past day to anger me.  
This was a cruise. I was with Kurama and Yukina. I had seen Tomoyo, Kara, and Corri. I got one wish at the end of the week. This was a vacation... and realizing all this, I decided: What the hell. Might as well have 'fun'. A small grin crept onto my pips as Kurama and I set down our towels and headed towards the diving board.  
As we walked, I noticed some girls staring and giggling. Some guys gave us judgmental looks as if to ask: "What are you doing here?" I couldn't wait to show these ningens my superiority. They would learn just how powerful we really were. 


	4. Part 4 Chicken Fights

Finally, Kurama and I reached the diving board. Kurama deposited our towels on the ground, and I stepped aside to allow the redheaded youkai go first. I watched carefully to see what move he'd make. The pool was deep, and reached twelve feet in the deepest end- the part where we were diving. Once the people swimming had cleared out of the way, Kurama began to gently jump up and down on the tip of the white board. Finally, he leapt high into the air, flipping backwards and turning so he made a perfect swan dive when he hit the water. Those that had been watching clapped politely as he came up, and girls giggled and whispered excitedly to each other.  
Rolling my eyes, I stepped up. As Kurama pulled himself out of the pool, I thought over what I would do. The humans looked to me expectantly, and finally, I smirked.  
Stepping forward, I caused my spirit energy to swirl around me in the form of fire. Looking to some girls floating before me, I said: "Move unless you want to die." Immediately, they swam to the side of the pool. Taking a deep breath, I shot upwards, flipping as I did so. When I started to come down, I twirled to face the water and shot stream of fire below me. The water evaporated from the scorching heat, leaving a large dry circle with water for sides. As I dropped to the bottom of the pool, the water began to cave in and fill the space where I stood. Before it could touch me though, I jumped above the water. I performed a back flip again and landed on the diving board. Finally, I made a perfect swam dive, rivaling Kurama's. I swam beneath the water to the other side of the pool. As soon as I got up, thunderous applause filled my ears.  
Wearing a small smile, I calmly returned to my friend's side. "Well done Hiei. That was quite a show," He complimented.  
"It was nothing," I replied with a shrug. Kurama gave me a knowing smile and nodded. Together, we jumped into the pool and began to swim. My ki kept me warm, so the water wasn't as refreshing. I lowered my energy so that my body heat would be the same as a human's. I enjoyed the clean liquid and the exercise I got from swimming through it.  
About an hour after we had started swimming, Kurama and I got out to get some drinks. We tracked down a waiter, and to my surprise, I found it was the same one who had made the remark about the kids' menu. He looked at me fearfully as Kurama asked:  
"May we have two lemonades?" The waiter opened his mouth and answered slowly, all the while, keeping his eyes on me.  
"Of course sir. Anything you want," He agreed. Taking two glasses from off his tray, he handed them to Kurama and hurried away.  
"Strange guy," Kurama commented as he sat in a nearby chair. Sitting beside him, I took the extra lemonade. Sipping it slowly through the straw (something I had recently mastered), I watched the waiter as he scurried from place to place around the pool. As I monitored his movements, a scheme began to formulate in my head. I never got him back for insulting me... An evil smirk crawled onto my face as I finished my drink.  
"Hiei, what are you planning?" Kurama questioned worriedly.  
"Nothing for you to be concerned about," I assured him as I got to my feet. Kurama watched me as I made my way around the pool. I knew he was hesitating- he wasn't sure whether to follow me or not. While he debated in his mind, I formed a small ball of energy in my hand. Clenching my fist around it, I let my energy pour out. People screamed and scrambled to get out of the way. Finally, I reached the man and he whirled around. As his eyes widened in fear, I released my ki.  
He yelped as he clothes caught on fire. Folding my arms, I watched in amusement as he tried to put it out with drinks. "Perhaps something from the kid's menu could quench the fire," I said smugly. When the drinks didn't seem to work, he looked feverishly at me and tried to tear off his shirt, burning his hands in the process. Pitying the poor fool, I shoved him into the water, extinguishing the flames.  
People laughed and pointed as he broke the surface, gasping for air. A second later, Kurama was at my side. "Hiei! You know we're not supposed to injure humans!" He scolded.  
"Kill Kurama, kill," I corrected him. Kurama sighed heavily just as the waiter got out of the water. Taking one look at me, he ran out of sight.  
"Hiei... I don't know what to do with you anymore!" Kurama complained. I just shrugged and continued to smile now quite content. Kurama frowned, then grinned as he pushed me forward. Startled, I fell into the pool with a splash. Shooting back up, I glared at Kurama. Seeing that his feet were within my reach, I grabbed him by the ankles and pulled him in with me. With a yelp, he went underwater. When he came back up, he dunked me with rage. I grabbed him, forcing him under again.  
Soon we were both fighting- not seriously, but competitively. Suddenly our brawl was interrupted when a voice screeched over a nearby intercom, freezing us in place.  
"Hello everyone! Are you having fun yet?" Botan giggled. "I sure hope so! But if not, head down to the pool for our last event of the night- chicken fights!" With that, Botan's voice ceased and the intercom clicked off. Kurama and I glanced at each other and asked:  
"Chicken fights?" Almost instantly, the crowd doubled. I spotted Yusuke and Kuwabara with Keiko and Yukina- all four of them in bathing suits. People were getting out of the pool so Kurama and I did the same. As soon as we did, Koenma appeared. He stood in his teenage form with a microphone in hand. A hush fell over the crowd as he began to speak.  
"To end this night, we will be having chicken fights in the pool. A team consists of two people, and fifteen teams are allowed to enter. How you play, is one of the two people on a team will get up on their partner's shoulders. They'll go up against another pair and try to knock the person on top off of their teammate and into the water. Whoever beats all the other teams and comes out victorious will win a special prize," Koenma explained.  
Excited, people began to talk and pair up to from teams. Kurama looked to me as I began to walk away. "Hiei..." Kurama began.  
"No," I replied without turning around. By the way Kurama's voice changed, I could tell he was disappointed.  
"Onegai?" He pleaded gently.  
My steps slowed until I finally stopped. Don't look at him, I thought... but I couldn't help it. Staring straight into Kurama's bright green eyes, I crumbled.  
"Sometimes I just want to take my sword and cut out your eyeballs- ya know that?" I seethed grumpily. Kurama smiled and nodded. "Well, as long as you know," I muttered as I made my way back towards the pool. A few minutes passed till Koenma asked:  
"Will each team that wishes to participate please raise their hands?" Immediately, hundreds of hands went into the air. I noticed that Yusuke, Kuwabara's, Keiko's, and Yukina's were among them. I cringed instinctively. This would be interesting.  
"Well, it seems we have too many teams. Of course, any Yu Yu Hakusho teams are automatically in, but we have to narrow it down so we have twelve other teams. Please play Janken until only twelve pairs remain," Koenma ordered.  
"Hn. Figures he would use rock, paper, scissors to decide this. Why are we allowed to participate without any preliminary round?" I questioned angrily.  
"Well, it is our cruise," Kurama pointed out.  
"Quiet you," I snapped sourly. Kurama just grinned. Time passed quickly until only twelve other teams remained. Kurama and I, along with Yusuke and the other participants gathered in a circle around Koenma.  
"It seems that all fifteen teams are present. Let's begin," Koenma announced. Immediately, Koenma began pairing up different teams. I was surprised to find we were left without any opponents.  
"Koenma, what is the meaning of this?" I demanded as the other teams slid into the water.  
"Because there isn't an even amount of teams, one team, usually the strongest, gets to the pass the first round and go immediately to the second. I figured you two would make the strongest couple," Koenma explained. I nodded. That was a reasonable assumption. Seeing that we would have to wait, I turned and watched as the teams laded their partners onto their shoulders. I clenched my right hand angrily when Kuwabara hoisted my sister onto his back. She situated herself on his shoulders and I watched in disgust as he blushed and smiled. Yusuke wiggled beneath Keiko, causing her to slap him playfully. Urameshi grinned in response.  
The other pairs I did not recognize, but most were girl-guy couples... all except for one- Inu-ko and Kara. Inu-ko still wore her black bikini and was supporting the person on top of her as if it were nothing. Kara wore a glittery green one-piece bathing suit. Noticing that Tomoyo wasn't in the water, I scanned the crowd. I saw her watching her friends intently, cheering them on with a smile.  
Finally, Botan's voice broke the tense silence as she said from the intercom:  
"Let the chicken fights begin!"  
Immediately, the teams were pitted against each other. I admit, watching girls in bathing suits try to hit eachother off another person's shoulders was... barbarically entertaining. After a few minutes, the winning teams stood with their partners, grinning with pride. Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Inu-ko's partners had all done surprisingly well. I assumed a strong bottom was the key to victory.  
As Koenma announced the winners, he also stated the next pairings. Finally, Kurama and I were called to fight one of the other couples. Our opponents would be two brown-haired humans. The girls had long brown hair and gray eyes. She was tall and slender while her slightly shorter boyfriend was muscular. As he hoisted her onto his shoulders, I looked to Kurama. He looked back and we stared awkwardly.  
"I assume you want me-  
"On top? Yes- you're shorter and you're lighter," Kurama answered before I could finish.  
"Hn," I muttered in embarrassment. Kurama knelt down in the water in order for me to climb up. Grabbing his shoulders, I pulled myself onto his back and swung my legs over so they dangled against his chest. As he stood, I wobbled slightly and leaned forward. I gasped as my groin rubbed hard against Kurama's head. Judging from the sudden heat I felt, I assumed the kitsune was blushing. I scooted back some, my face growing red. Luckily, it seemed only we had noticed.  
While we waited for the fights to begin, I looked over at my sister, who was sitting on top of Kuwabara. She shared my strength in some aspects. Could she possibly beat the other girls despite her kind nature? While I watched Yukina, Koenma stepped up to the microphone. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts, that I almost didn't hear him say:  
"Begin the second round!"  
As soon as Kurama moved beneath me though, I faced forward and eyed my opponent- the tall girl. She smiled at me and put her hands up- ready to push me off at any moment. Without batting an eyelash, I ducked down and punched her in the stomach. Her eyes widened in painful surprise as she fell backwards into the water. I had won.  
"Hiei!" Kurama yelped as the guy in front of us scrambled to help the girl I had just defeated.  
"Nani?" I asked airily.  
"Not so hard Hiei! You'll hurt someone!" Kurama scolded. Angrily, I squeezed Kurama's head between my knees and his hands shot up instinctively. While he tried to loosen my grip on his skull, I talked in a low hiss.  
"As long as I'm fighting, we'll fight my way." As I said this, Kurama continued to claw at my legs. Giving him one last squeeze, I weakened my hold. Instantly, Kurama dropped down underwater, pressing me against the pool bottom. Hurriedly, I swam out from underneath him and went to the surface, I glared at Kurama angrily and he glared back just as viciously. Before we could exchange words though, Koenma spoke again.  
"All right, the next pairings are as follows: Yusuke's Team vs. Kuwabara's Team, and Inu-ko's Team vs. Hiei's team."  
I stopped listening after that. We were going to face the two girls- Corri and Kara? I clenched my teeth and tried to remain calm. What I had told Kurama was true- I would fight my way- roughly... but that's because I didn't know the humans and had no emotional attachment or ties to them. Now that we were going up against Inu-ko and Kara, should I let up? Kurama looked at me out of the corner of his eye and I nodded.  
Forgetting our recent fight, I resumed my position on his shoulders. Corri approached us with Kara situated on top of her while Kuwabara and Yusuke paired up their girls. I looked into Kara's olive green eyes and smirked. She grinned back and placed her hands in front of her.  
"Begin!" Koenma ordered. Immediately, Kurama stepped forward, and I took a swipe at Kara. It was a normal attack, and Kara blocked it easily. I continued to attack calmly, but Kara countered each thrust. Just when I started to get annoyed, Kara lashed out. Surprised, she caught me off guard and hit me square in the chest. Kurama began to slip backwards, causing me to panic. Before we could fall, I launched a series of lightning fast punches, knocking Kara easily from Corri's shoulders. Kurama regained his balance as the girls broke the surface for air.  
"Good job Hiei," Corri panted.  
"Yeah. For someone so ugly, you sure can fight!" Kara exclaimed with a smile.  
"I'll ignore that," I glowered as I looked at Kara. All she did was smile innocently. Suddenly, Kurama nudged me. I turned to question him, but the words I had in mind quickly disintegrated when I saw what he was pointing to. My sister and Keiko were still fighting, and by the looks of it, my sister was winning!  
Keiko and Yukina's hands were locked, but it was obvious that Yukina was stronger because she was pushing Keiko and Yusuke backward at a rapid rate. Her face was set in determination, and her small body was tense.  
"She reminds me of you," Kurama whispered fondly.  
"Hn," I replied as color rushed to my cheeks. Kurama said no more. Everyone watched in silence till the two were up against the wall. Then, everything changed. Yukina stopped pushing, allowing Keiko to press forward... then, she wrenched Keiko off of Yusuke's shoulders and flung her into the deep end. She had won.  
I listened in amazement as the crowd cheered. Yukina blushed and waved politely. I was filled with pride for my sister, but then filled with horror when Koenma boomed:  
"We now have our two finalists! Hiei and Kurama, vs. Kuwabara and Yukina!"  
NO! I thought to myself. I had to face my sister and that oaf? There was no way I'd lose to Kuwabara, but I wasn't about to fight my sister either.  
"Curse it all," I hissed under my breath.  
"Hm?" Kurama questioned curiously. I began scheming inside my head in the few seconds I had to reply. Finally, I grabbed Kurama by the wrist and trudged out of the pool. Before we could leave the area though, Koenma yelled:  
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?"  
"To take a piss, do you mind?" I yelled back threateningly. Koenma instantly reddened as others laughed.  
"Okay, hurry back," He instructed. Once we were away from the pool and running down the halls, Kurama asked:  
"Where are we really going?"  
"Back to our room. There's no way I'm going to lose, but at the same time, I'm not going to defeat my sister," I stated firmly.  
"Then... how...?" Kurama trailed. I never answered. Instead, I continued to run, focusing on the task at hand. When we finally reached our room, I threw open the door and ran inside. Kurama followed curiously, a puzzled expression on his face.  
Without explanation, I opened my suitcase and pulled out a pair of wooden sandals. They were similar to the sandals samurai used to wear, but rarer. They had long bottoms- at least two feet high. In a way, they were like mini stilts.  
"Hiei, you can't seriously be considering...!"  
"Yes, you're going to fight my sister," I finished before he could ask. Kurama sighed as I slipped on the sandals and tied them to my feet. When I stood, I was about as tall as Kuwabara.  
"I'm not so sure about this Hiei," Kurama said worriedly.  
"Deal with it kitsune- I'm not fighting my sister," I restated stubbornly. Kurama said nothing as we made our way back to the pool. When we arrived, people pointed and stared, but I ignored them. Stepping into the water, I walked up to Kuwabara and Yukina, now level with Kuwabara's chin.  
"What's wrong shorty? Afraid to go up against a girl?" Kuwabara chuckled. I smirked.  
"No, I just wanted the satisfaction of kicking you in the balls if we lose," I retorted. Kuwabara's eyes widened in shock as he took a weary step back. 


	5. Part 5 Tension

Just then, Kurama stepped into the water beside me. He walked up to my back and hesitated. "What are you waiting for?" I questioned irritably.  
"Are you sure this is all right Hiei?" Kurama asked worriedly.  
"Yes, just hurry up and get on my shoulders!" I snapped. Awkwardly, Kurama began to climb up like he had been instructed. I struggled to remain upright. He was heavier than I thought he'd be. Finally, he got situated. I wobbled a little before I regained my balance. A few seconds later, Kurama wiggled uncomfortably. I grew hot from his touch. As soon as this was over, I would swear off chicken fights forever.  
"Are you ready?" Koenma asked through the microphone. Kurama and Yukina nodded. "All right then- begin!" Koenma ordered. Immediately, I took a step forward. Carefully, Kurama locked hands with my sister and they began to push against eachother. They seemed evenly matched, but I strained to stay put because the friction was affecting me as well. Suddenly, Kuwabara took a step forward. I felt myself beginning to slip. To counter, I pushed with all my might, but the water was making me miscalculate strengths and weaknesses. I had to shift back a little to get my bearings.  
Kurama and Yukina continued to "Indian Wrestle" as they say, and I struggled against Kuwabara in order to press forward. To my dismay, I soon grew tired. This was more work than I thought, and with Kurama weighing me down, it was harder. Just then, Kuwabara grinned. That goofy, obnoxious grin that drove me insane. Gritting my teeth, I did the only thing I could- step on his toes.  
"Yow!" Kuwabara yelped as he stepped backward. For a moment, Yukina swayed, but Kurama didn't press forward. Even he was reluctant to beat my sister... but although Kurama and Yukina were hesitant, Kuwabara had no problem fighting back. Clenching Yukina's legs tightly so she wouldn't fall, he fired a kick at me with his left leg. I tried to jump, but because the water slowed me down, Kuwabara managed to hit the bottom of my sandals, sending me off balance. Kurama lurched in one direction, but I held tight to his body. Luckily, I landed on one foot and was able to remain upright.  
At that moment, the chicken fight did not matter. All I could think about was beating Kuwabara into the ground. Kurama seemed to sense this, because his grip on me tightened. Using my speed, I ran at Kuwabara. His eyes widened slightly as he desperately tried to move out of the way. Before he could move, I punched him hard in the chest. Kuwabara stumbled backwards, but when Yukina let out a screech, he regained his footing.  
"Hiei! Come on, this is a chicken fight, not a match! Don't battle here," Kurama pleaded.  
"Ursai!" I shushed him angrily.  
"It seems like the boys have disregarded the battle and are starting to fight eachother!" Koenma announced in disbelief.  
"Hiei, let's just finish what we started. Just because you're afraid to beat a girl doesn't mean you should take it out on me!" Kuwabara exclaimed. I resisted the urge to release my Kokuryuha. Instead, I decided to do something else. I ran at Kuwabara, but stopped a few feet short of hitting him. Kurama and Yukina immediately locked hands again. Kuwabara appeared relieved. I smiled at him and he studied me suspiciously.  
"Do you see that girl Kuwabara? She's stupid enough to admire you," I said darkly.  
"Huh? What do you mean?" Kuwabara asked, his eyes narrowing. I shrugged slightly, earning a foot in the ribs from Kurama. Wincing, I went on.  
"You don't see her? That ningen in the bikini screaming your name?" I asked, pretending to be surprised.  
"Uh, no... is she hot?" Kuwabara asked in a whisper. Dumb, and gullible...  
I shrugged again, earning a harder kick from my partner. "Don't move Hiei- unless you want me to lose!" Kurama growled. I was about to point out that he was going easy on my sister as it is, but held my tongue. Instead, I continued to address the pathetic excuse for a human.  
"I am not the type to judge a ningen, but if you mean to ask if her cleavage is popping out of her top and if she has a slender body along with a cute navel, then yes. She also has long brown hair and curves like an hour glass," I said dryly. Like a kid eager for candy, Kuwabara turned his head to scan the crowd.  
"Wow! Where is she?" He wondered. Choosing not to answer, I lifted my leg and hammered my wooden sandals squarely in Kuwabara's groin. Seeing his face contort in pain gave me a feeling that no words could describe. I was happy to put it simply. I didn't care if Kurama scolded me later. I would always remember his expression and that's what mattered.  
Even better than that, was when Kuwabara fell backwards, taking my sister with him. We had won. Knowing this, I abruptly shook Kurama off my shoulders. While he sputtered and wiped the water out of his eyes, I reached down and pulled my sister up into my arms. She blushed as I took her to the side of the pool and deposited her on the ground. Grabbing a nearby towel, I wrapped it around her before turning to look at an enraged Kurama and Kuwabara. Before either of them could say anything though, Koenma boomed:  
"And the winners are Kurama and Hiei! What do you want?" With a smile, I said:  
"Make sure Kuwabara doesn't come within six feet of Yukina." I heard Kuwabara gasp, as I looked him in the eye.  
"What's your problem Hiei?" Kuwabara demanded in disbelief.  
"Hiei-san, that really isn't necessary. Kazuma hasn't done anything to me," Yukina assured me gently.  
"That is my wish," I said firmly, ignoring her innocence. With a sigh, Koenma replied:  
"If that is your wish, so be it. Kurama, what do you want?" At first, Kurama was silent. Everyone waited patiently while he thought until finally, he grinned. Looking directly at me, he said:  
"I wish that Hiei had to share a room with Kuwabara instead of Yusuke."  
"Nani?!" Everyone including myself shouted.  
"Kurama, you can't be serious," I seethed angrily.  
"That is my wish," He exclaimed, using my words against me.  
"All right then. Botan, see to the arrangements," Koenma ordered. And that, as they say, was that.  
  
* * * * *  
  
I woke up a day later to complete silence. I rolled over and buried my head into a pillow. The way I saw things, if I never left my room, no one could make me do anything. Sure, it may be considered cowardice, but the longer I slept, the longer I could avoid the others without being disturbed. I couldn't wait till we returned to Nihongo. The first thing I'd do when I got back would be to flee to the Makai and stay there for as long as possible.  
The only thing that could possibly pull me from my bed was hunger. Of course, I could go a few days without food, but the longer I went with an empty stomach, the lower my energy became. In the rare case a battle occurred, I wanted to be able to do my best. So... although I detested it, I knew I had to get up and face the ningens as well as Kurama.  
With a soft sigh, I sat up and yawned. Looking around the room, I was glad to see no sign of Kuwabara. Glancing out a nearby window, I assumed that it was about noon. Sliding out of bed, I changed into some clean black pants and a matching muscle shirt. Raking a hand through my hair I stepped outside and began to walk. I could always order room service, but without Kurama, I was clueless. I wasn't about to ask Kuwabara either. Suddenly, I paused. I could ask the girls... no, forget it. Why make a fool out of myself when breakfast was already being served in the dining hall? All I had to do was avoid everyone...  
When I reached the large dining hall, my red eyes scanned the area. I saw no sign of Kurama or the others, so I made my way to a small table in the corner and sat down.  
"Good morning Hiei-san, how may I help you?" A waitress asked as she approached me.  
"I need something to eat," I answered tiredly.  
"Anything in particular?" She questioned sweetly.  
"The head of a demon, drenched in blood," I answered sarcastically.  
"I don't think we have that sir. How about ham and eggs?" The waitress suggested with a smile. I thought for a moment while studying the waitress under my steady gaze.  
"Close enough," I finally agreed. Bowing slightly, the waitress nodded and hurried away. I saw that there was sake on the table, but decided that it was too early to drink alcohol. I waited patiently until the girl returned with a steaming plate of food and a glass of water.  
"Is this all right?" She questioned gently. Quietly, I looked at the plate. It held a mountain of scrambled eggs, three slices of ham, toast, and potato wedges. The smell wafted into my nostrils and made my mouth water.  
"Hn," I answered.  
"Good. Enjoy your meal Hiei-san!" She bade as she walked away. After the woman walked out of sight, I began to eat using a fork she had set on the table. The food was pretty good, and I ate it slowly to savor the taste. Kurama cooks better... I thought suddenly. I paused and set down my fork. Kurama was a really good cook... I shook my head to clear my mind. No- I couldn't think of him now. He had handed me over to the stupidest ningen on earth. I could not forgive him! Yet... I could not stay mad at Kurama for long. After all, he was the only friend I had. Well... I could always be angry with him for a little while. Yes, I would remain angry until he made it up to me, I decided. Without thinking of the kitsune again, I finished my meal. Getting up, I quickly left the room to go back to my quarters. About half way there though, I heard footsteps behind me. Without looking back, I quickened my pace... but so did the footsteps. I knew I was being followed. Gritting my teeth, I cursed myself for leaving my katana in my room. Suddenly, I reached a corner. I ran around it and flattened myself to the wall, expecting the person to take chase. But to my surprise, nothing happened. A minute went by, then five, then ten. Tired of waiting, I peeked around the corner. I was astonished to see Kurama leaning over the railing, the breeze fluttering through his hair and the sun shining on his face. I stared at him in awe, unsure of why he was there. Was he the one who had been following me? If it were he, I was sure I would've sensed his familiar ki. Reluctantly, I stepped out into plain sight and made my way towards him. "Nanda Kurama?" I questioned darkly. "Oh, Hiei! There you are," Kurama replied without answering my question. "Yes, what is it?" I repeated. "You missed coming to the dance hall last night," Kurama said quietly. "And?" I demanded sharply. "I missed you," Kurama replied quietly. "Hn."  
  
"Hiei, I invited you for a reason," Kurama explained. "Yes, to amuse our fans," I spat angrily. "No! Iie Hiei! I invited you for myself. I wanted to spend time with my closest friend. You're the only youkai who I can truly trust Hiei- you know that! So please, would it kill you to relax for once? To actually have fun?" Kurama demanded as his voice began to rise. Feeling a vein pop beneath my black hair, I took my finger and placed it firmly in Kurama's chest. "I tried Kurama. I tried to act like a sweet little ningen and play along, but I'm not a ningen. I'm a demon Kurama. I will not embarrass myself for simple pleasures like you. If you want someone like that, find a new 'friend'. I used to think I could trust you. You understand my silent gestures better than anyone- but you crossed the line. Kurama, I'm not going to bend over backwards and kiss your ass just so I can make a fool of myself." And with that, I turned and walked away. Kurama never said a word. Calmly, I returned to my room. I opened the door and walked inside as if nothing were wrong, but as soon as the handle clicked behind me, I snapped. "Damn it! Damn it all!" I shouted. Fury welling up inside of me, I grabbed the nearest thing I could, which happened to be a lamp. I threw it with all my might at a wall, just as the door to the bathroom opened. A moment later, the lamp burst into sparks, leaving a crater beside Kuwabara's head. Standing in his boxers with a surprised and frightened expression, Kuwabara asked: "Uh... Hiei... what's wrong?" Still infuriated, I opened my Jagan eye and poured out dark energy from my body. Kuwabara's eyes widened as he took a step back. "If you don't want to talk about it, I understand! Really!" He said in a panicky voice. Suddenly, I got an idea. "Get dressed fool. You and I are going to spar," I announced. Kuwabara blinked and stared at me in disbelief. "But Hiei- "Don't just stand there. Get moving. I'm not in the mood for your idiotic excuses." All he did was nod.  
  
* * * * *  
Mercilessly, I beat Kuwabara with my bamboo stick. I usually wielded the practice sword when training someone, but I also used it when sparring. After all, killing Kuwabara would be such a giant loss... (Note the sarcasm). I enjoyed fighting Kuwabara. Every other second I heard my bamboo weapon "thwack" against Kuwabara's body as he winced in pain. We had begun to fight on the top deck of the ship where only a few people were lounging and there was a lot of open space. Kuwabara had his Spirit Sword out, but he was making poor use of it. The human couldn't take one step without me hitting him, but I did not let up. To erase Kurama from my mind, I had to channel all of my anger into fighting.  
"Hiei, what's wrong? I've never seen you this pissed before!" Kuwabara exclaimed as he managed to dodge one of my blows.  
"It's none of your concern. Are you going to fight me or just cower in fear? You're always saying how you would like to beat me up- well, here's your chance," I snapped. Kuwabara continued to wear the same lost, vacant expression. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Can you understand anything I say without having me spell it out for you? You always have that dumb expression on your face," I sighed.  
"Hey! I am not dumb! I'm just worried about you, that's all. Jeez- can't you even accept the fact that people care about you? You're so cold hearted," He stated grumpily. When he said this, I thought of Kurama and my anger intensified. Without warning, I began to exert more of my energy to make my blows more painful. Kuwabara yelped and tried desperately to defend himself, but I knocked his Spirit Sword out of his hands. I stopped short of hitting him again and narrowed my eyes.  
"You're a worthless fool that will never be my equal. Where is Yusuke?" I hissed.  
"He's in the casino with Keiko," Kuwabara answered promptly, his body heaving as he got to his feet.  
"Hn." With that, I turned and left Kuwabara, my body still hot from our 'battle'. A casino huh? That meant lots of people, and possibly Kurama. It wasn't worth it. Better to sulk in silence. Surely, if Kuwabara was dumb enough to ask me what was wrong, Yusuke would do the same. I didn't want to explain anything to anyone, so I continued walking till I reached my room. Going inside, I shut the door and locked it. I didn't care if Kuwabara wandered the halls- nothing was going to disturb me. Throwing myself onto my bed, I closed my eyes.  
"Chikuso," I muttered. A few minutes later, I drifted off to sleep. 


	6. Part 6 Aggravation

* * * * *  
  
Knock Knock! I groaned and curled up into a ball. "Go away," I mumbled. Knock Knock! "I said, GO AWAY!" I exclaimed a little louder. KNOCK KNOCK! Instantly, I jumped out of bed and ran to the door. As I threw it open I yelled: "What the hell do you want?" When I saw Yukina blinking back at me innocently, my anger faded away. "Oh, Yukina, what is it?" I questioned roughly, now embarrassed. "Hiei-san, why haven't you come to see us? We're all very worried about you," My sister stated. By 'all', I assumed she meant the others. "So? My whereabouts are none of their concern," I replied coldly. "But Hiei-san, we miss you. Please come and do something with us. Come to the casino- it's a lot of fun," She persuaded. "No thank you. Ningen games don't interest me," I exclaimed. "But... you played in the chicken fights," She pointed out. "That was different!" I snapped, my face growing hot. Yukina was silent for a moment. "Well... come by later if you have the time," She instructed. I watched her walk down the hall and turn a corner. When she was out of sight, I let out a long sigh. I had reached a new low- I had snapped at my own flesh and blood. Was Kurama right? Would it kill me to have fun? I had tried showing my feelings before, only to be hurt and embarrassed. The thing I hated most was that feeling of helplessness mixed with vulnerability.  
Not many people could get close to me because I never showed a weak side, and frankly, I was happy with the way I was... but now, I was starting to hurt the people I had allowed to get close to me.  
"Damn you Kurama- I hate it when you're right," I hissed. Reluctantly, I made my way down the hall. When I finally ran into a waiter, I stopped him and asked:  
"Where is the casino?"  
  
* * * * *  
  
The whirring of the slot machines could be heard as I entered the extravagant room. In the casino, everything seemed to shine in the chandelier's lights. Different games were being played at every table- things such as black jack, poker, and others. On one side of the casino was a desk where you exchanged chips for money and vice versa. It was also where they would check your age.  
Somewhere in the middle of the casino was a restaurant and bar. If people chose to, they could live in the casino- at least for a few days. Among all of the ningens, I tried to catch a glimpse of green hair. Where was Yukina? Maybe she was by the dice games...  
Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice say: "Way to go Kurama! You're reeling in the cash!" I turned to my right to see Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama and Keiko, all sitting at a round table. Only Kurama had cards in his hands. He appeared to be playing black jack. I stared in awe at his mountain of chips. They were all silver, which represented 100,000 yen each.  
"I think I'll stop now," Kurama said quietly.  
"Aww, man- don't stop now! You're on a roll!" Kuwabara urged. Kurama just smiled and shook his head. Handing his cards back to the dealer, he stood and gathered up all of his chips into a small black bag. Him, along with the others all began to walk away, but suddenly, Yukina approached them from another direction. She stopped short, and I wondered why. Suddenly, I remembered the restraining order I had placed on Kuwabara and smiled.  
"Hey Yukina! What's up? Did you manage to drag Hiei here?" Yusuke questioned hopefully.  
"Ano..." Yukina trailed. Before she could say anything, I walked up behind her.  
"Oh, there he is. Hey Hiei," Yusuke greeted.  
"Nani?" Yukina asked in surprise. She turned to face me, obviously puzzled, yet pleased. Kuwabara and Kurama didn't say anything, and neither did I.  
"Glad to see you emerged from the dark," Yusuke teased.  
"Yeah, we were getting worried about you," Keiko commented.  
"Hn," Was all I said.  
"Well, now that the gang's all here, let's go party!" Yusuke suggested. Without warning, he began to walk in the direction of the casino's bar. We had no choice but to follow. As we walked though, I could feel Kurama staring at me. I remained calm although I was starting to feel more and more awkward. We used to be close, but now I felt a giant gap between us. Deep within me, I knew I could correct that gap. All I had to do was say a few words... but how could I? I never apologized to anyone- I had never needed to. I usually considered myself higher and saw no purpose in it... but Kurama was different. Still, it wouldn't be something I'd do in front of just anyone. Kurama and I would have to be alone...  
Before I could think of anything though, we reached the bar. Yusuke took a seat and the rest of us followed suit. When the bartender, a young ningen in his twenties, approached us, Yusuke said:  
"Sake all around!"  
"Um, Yusuke-san..." Yukina interrupted.  
"Oh, and some lemonade for the ladies," Yusuke added with a smile. Immediately the bartender began rummaging through his supplies and filling glasses. Once all the drinks were distributed, Yusuke turned to me.  
"So, have you and Kurama made up yet?" He asked with a twinkle in his eye.  
"Nani?" I hissed as I took a sip of my sake.  
"You know- made up? I heard you two had a big fight. It's not often that you see the world's greatest demon pair getting in an argument," Yusuke explained.  
"Yeah, what exactly did happen between you two?" Kuwabara wondered curiously. I knew this would happen, yet, I still came. I considered cursing at them and leaving, but before I could reply, Kurama opened his mouth and said:  
"It's not something we want to discuss." I was surprised at Kurama's answer, and the shock must have shown on my face, because Kurama looked to me and smiled. Quickly, I averted my gaze, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone else. Yusuke and Kuwabara looked to eachother and shrugged, but did not say anymore. Finally, everyone finished their drinks and rose to their feet. Together, they began making their way towards the slot machines, but I did not follow. Kurama stopped and turned to me, his green eyes questioning. It was now or never. "Kurama, I need to talk to you," I announced. "What is it Hiei?" Kurama questioned softly. "Alone," I added in a whisper. Kurama nodded, and while no one was looking, went with me to the far side of the casino. While we walked, I looked around for a place we could talk in private. Finally, I spotted a men's bathroom. Looking left and right, I motioned for Kurama to follow me as I pushed the door open. When we entered, I was dismayed to find two men talking and laughing. There was no way I could talk to Kurama while they were here. Flexing my right arm, I stepped up to them. "Leave," I snapped, interrupting their conversation. Both of them looked to me in annoyance. "What do you want shrimp? We were here first," One pointed out. "I said, leave," I repeated as I allowed some dark energy to flow out of my arm. Glaring at me, the two began to walk towards the door. One left, but before the other exited, he turned to me and said: "If you wanted some time alone with your boyfriend, all you had to do was say so!" As he closed the door behind him, I felt a vein pop on my forehead. Forgetting about Kurama, I dashed for the door, but before I could make it, something grabbed me. Whirling around, I was surprised to find Kurama clutching my shirt. "Let go! I will kill him for insulting us!" I seethed with rage. "Forget it Hiei," Kurama pleaded. I stared into his bright green eyes and scowled. "Hn." "Thank you," He replied. "So, what did you want to talk about?" He asked tiredly. At that moment, my whole body seemed to freeze. What could I say? You're my only friend, so you can't leave! No, too commanding. Our fight was stupid, so forget it. No, that wasn't true. I had hurt him- that wasn't stupid. As I struggled to find the words, Kurama waited patiently. Finally, I looked up at him. "You know I'm not the kind to apologize," I stated. Kurama nodded. "So don't take what I said personally. I'm sick of all these ningens Kurama, but that gave me no excuse to snap at you. So, what I'm trying to say is... well, what I mean to say..." I trailed. "You're sorry?" Kurama said gently. "Hai," I confirmed. To my surprise, Kurama's eyes glossed over. "I forgive you Hiei, and I'm sorry too," He said warmly. Immediately, my old feelings returned. No longer did I feel worried or guilty- it was a freedom like no other. Suddenly, Kurama knelt down and hugged me. I turned to stare into his red hair, slightly disturbed. "Kurama..." I began, but before I could say anything, the door swung open to reveal Yusuke and Kuwabara. We locked eyes with them and they stared at us in surprise. Slowly, they backed out of the bathroom and shut the door. My face grew hot when I realized what they were probably thinking. "Kurama," I continued. "Yes Hiei?" "Don't ever hug me again," I ordered. "I understand," Kurama said as he broke away.  
  
* * * * *  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes."  
"Really?"  
"Yes."  
"You're positive nothing happened?"  
"Yes! What is your problem?"  
"You wouldn't lie, would you?"  
"Yes! I mean, no! What happened between us is none of your damn business! We were not 'doing' anything! All we did was have a talk!" I fumed. "I don't see why I must explain this to you. I thought you were smarter than Kuwabara," I growled.  
"Okay, okay, I won't ask you about it. Still, it looked pretty strange," Yusuke commented as he took a sip of his lemonade. I rolled my eyes and didn't reply. It was a day after Kurama and I had reunited, and everyone was on our case. Right now, Yusuke, Kurama, Kuwabara, and I were al in the VIP section of the giant ship. They had built a giant indoor hot spring where Yusuke and I now sat, towels tied firmly around our waists. In the meantime, Kurama and Kuwabara were elsewhere, receiving 'full body' massages. Kurama had invited me to come with him, but I had put it off. Although I didn't want to get into another argument, I didn't want a ningen touching me either. Especially not my whole body.  
"If you must know, Kurama is the one who hugged me. I had nothing to do with it," I said as I soaked in the warm water. Yusuke laughed.  
"Yeah, I don't see you as a touchy-feely kind of guy," He exclaimed. Once again, I made no comment. For a while, I let the silence hang between us. The stream from the heat mixed with sound of running water was pleasant. Quietly, I swam over to a section of the large spring where a mini waterfall was running over a large boulder. Silently, I went under it, allowing the liquid to wash over me. This, I could get used to. Peace and quiet... without any annoying ningens...  
"Eeeeeeee!" I heard someone screech. Both Yusuke and I stood, tense and alert. We listened carefully, but heard nothing else.  
"What was that?" Yusuke questioned concerned.  
"I'm not sure," I answered truthfully.  
"We should probably check it out- it sounded like it was close by," Yusuke decided. With a nod, we both got out of the spring. Grabbing our clothes, we carried them with us into another room- the massaging room. People were laid out on tables with tiny towels covering their sacred areas. Masseuses were busy working on their subjects, but nothing seemed to be wrong. Spotting Kurama and Kuwabara in a far corner, we walked over to them. When one of the masseuses spotted us, they exclaimed:  
"You can't come in here without an appointment sir." Ignoring her, I tapped Kurama on the shoulder. Looking over at me, he asked:  
"What is it Hiei?" Hearing my name, Kuwabara glanced over at us.  
"Did you hear a scream?" I asked calmly. Kurama and Kuwabara exchanged looks.  
"A high pitched scream- a few minutes ago," Yusuke explained. Kurama and Kuwabara shook their heads.  
"We didn't hear anything," Kurama answered slowly. At this point, both Kuwabara and Kurama's masseuses were glaring at us angrily. I noticed that they were both dressed completely in white from head to toe excluding their arms and slender hands. Slowly, they worked on Kurama and Kuwabara's bodies, graceful as spiders. I shuddered. These women were strange.  
"Well, we're going to go and look around. It'd be nice if you could help us," Yusuke stated.  
"We have not finished massaging them," One masseuse objected.  
"So? They can come back later," Yusuke answered. At this, Kurama sat up, causing his masseuse to frown.  
"Forgive us ladies. We will come back," Kurama promised. Following Kurama's lead, Kuwabara also got up and slid off the table. Together, the four of us exited the room, returning to the hot spring.  
"Where should we look first?" Kuwabara wondered.  
"Well, it sounded close by. Let's look around here," Yusuke suggested.  
"Shouldn't we get dressed first? I we do find someone, we don't ant to be wearing small white towels," Kurama pointed out.  
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Yusuke agreed.  
Quickly, Kuwabara and Kurama picked up their clothes, which had been lying next to ours. Looking around, we made sure no one was watching us before dropping our towels and beginning to get dressed. We all faced away from eachother, trusting that no one would stare... but suddenly, I got a strange feeling and paused, my leg halfway into my pants. Abruptly, I stopped changing and listened. I could faintly hear a series of clicks... a lot like a...!  
"Everyone, get into the water!" I ordered urgently. Without warning, I pushed the three of them in the hot spring as they yelped in protest. Then, I jumped in after them.  
"Hey! What's the big idea?" Yusuke demanded.  
"Someone is here baka- listen!" I hissed. Immediately, the others were silenced, but the clicking had already ceased.  
"Are you sure you're not just paranoid?" Kuwabara asked irritably.  
"I know what I heard. They must have already left," I said darkly.  
Kurama looked to me inquisitively but said nothing. Slowly, we got out and continued to get changed. Even when we split up again, I couldn't help but think someone was watching us...  
  
* * * * *  
  
"What does that fool Koenma want us to do now?" I demanded as I folded my arms over my chest.  
"Now Hiei, that's no way to speak about Koenma," Botan said gently.  
"Hn," I retorted. Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara looked to Botan expectantly for an answer. She looked at each of us nervously and then sighed.  
"Well, it's not really you Koenma is concerned about. Right now the girls are performing in the Dance Club-  
"Yukina too?" I interrupted sharply. Botan nodded slowly. I cursed Koenma under my breath, but no one seemed to hear.  
'I think he plans on you guys dancing as well, but-  
"Botan! Botan, we have a problem!" A man shouted upon running into the office.  
"Oh, Ogre, what's wrong?" Botan asked the blue monster from Spirit World. He was most often seen with Koenma, and seeing that he wasn't had to mean a major emergency.  
"Somehow these pictures have started to appear all over the ship! People are buying them everywhere!" The Ogre explained frantically. As he said this, I noticed that he was holding a manila folder in his hands.  
"What pictures?" Botan asked, just as confused as we were. Gulping, the Ogre tossed the folder onto the table causing the contents to spill out. Curiously, the five of us leaned over the table to inspect them. When I saw what they were though, my bulged and my mouth dropped open. Botan's face became a dark pink as she drew back and averted her eyes to the floor.  
"Where did you get these?!" Yusuke thundered as he scooped the pictures back into the folder.  
"Just as I said sir- they're all around the ship- people are selling them on corners, but no one knows who took them," The Ogre replied. In unison, the four of us exchanged glances. Without warning, we ran out of the room in single file, a new mission in mind. Suddenly, I recalled the noises I had heard in the hot spring.  
"Someone took pictures of us yesterday while we were changing- I heard the clicking of the camera," I exclaimed as we continued to run.  
"But why would someone do such a thing?" Kurama asked in exasperation. I glared at him out of the corner of my eye.  
"Do you know what some girls would do just to view your body Kurama? You attract girls like a lightning rod," I stated dryly. Kurama blushed.  
"Forget it guys- we need to find those pictures and fast! What if Keiko or Yukina see them?" Yusuke pointed out.  
"Or my sister!" Kuwabara added. I instantly paled as I considered this. Any girl who saw my body had to die.  
"You're right. Let's get to the bottom of this," Kurama agreed as we stopped at the dining room doors. In agreement, we pushed them open. We were surprised to see everyone crowded around the stage. Curiously, we approached it. Squeezing in-between the people, we gaped at what they were staring at- the pictures of us! What made me even angrier were the insane price tags that had been placed on them. Although high, people were lining up to buy them.  
"That's it- I'm killing them all!" I growled as I flexed my right arm. Focusing all my energy, I readied myself to summon Kokuryuha.  
"Iie Hiei!" Kurama exclaimed as he grabbed my arm.  
"Kurama, I will not allow them to demean us in this way!" I hissed. Kurama just shook his head.  
"Killing is not the way to solve this!" Kurama protested.  
"They've already seen us!" I shot back.  
"So you plan to kill Botan too?" Kurama questioned helplessly.  
"I did say all didn't I?" I replied darkly. Just then, Yusuke broke in.  
"All right everyone! Show's over! Clear the way or we will for you!" He shouted. 


	7. Part 7 Slavery Sucks

Many turned to stare at us and began whispering feverishly as they moved out of the way. For people that stared at me, I met them with a cold death glare. In my mind, I dared them to say something. As soon as they did, their life would end. After making our way to the stage, Yusuke gathered up the pictures and looked to Kurama. Without warning, Yusuke threw the pictures high into the air. The crowd began to get riled up, hoping to grab a couple of the photos as they fell, but before anyone could touch them though, Kurama pulled a rose out of thin air.  
"Rose whip!" He shouted, transforming the plant into a deadly weapon. Flicking his wrist gracefully, he caused all of the pictures to be cut into ribbons. The crowd booed in disappointment, but we ignored them. We had to find the rest of the pictures as well as the ones responsible for this crime.  
"Hiei, Kurama!" Yusuke said, getting our attention. "Go throughout the ship and destroy as many pictures as you can. We'll find the person behind all this," Yusuke promised. Although I wanted to take care of the sick bastard who had done this to us, I knew this was no time to argue.  
"Let's go Kurama," I urged as I unsheathed my sword. Rose whip still in hand, Kurama followed me out of the dining room and down the halls.  
We came across many corner stores with our pictures and quickly demolished them, scaring people senseless. I was amazed at all the photos that had been produced in such a short time. Just when it seemed we had searched every nook and cranny of the blasted ship, we passed by a hall packed with people. Kurama and I stopped in unison and exchanged glances. Clenching our weapons tightly, we made our way towards the crowd. Judging by the people's excitement, pictures of us were indeed involved.  
I readied myself to attack, but froze when I heard a familiar voice. "What are these pictures that you're trying to sell?"  
"Yeah, why are they so expensive?" Another voice I recognized questioned.  
"Pay up and you'll see. You can't find pictures like this anywhere else," A gruff voice persuaded. My eyes widened to twice their normal size as the first voice said:  
"All right."  
"Kurama, that's Yukina and Keiko!" I hissed. Kurama gasped in surprise as we began pushing through the crowd. Murmurs broke out as we made our way forward, and then suddenly, I spotted Yukina and Keiko standing next to a vendor. They were accepting a package from a vile looking man- an envelope that I knew contained nude photographs of Kurama and I as well as the others. Panicking, I rushed forward. Just as Yukina opened the envelope, I threw my sword, successfully impaling it and pinning it to the ground. Surprised, Yukina and Keiko turned to look at me, just as Kurama approached the salesman. "Why hello Hiei, how are you?" Yukina questioned with a smile. "I've been better," I replied as I picked up my sword along with the pictures. Immediately, I tore them into pieces. Kurama proceeded in doing the same to the others, causing a lot of anger in the crowd as well as the girls. "Hey! We paid for those and we never even got to see them!" Keiko whined. "Good. If you had, I would have dragged you into Hades," I seethed. Keiko and Yukina blinked in astonishment while Kurama said: "There's nothing to see here everyone. Please return to your normal activities." Dismayed, people began to leave. The salesperson had run off, which wasn't surprising. Only Yukina and Keiko remained. "What's going on you guys? What were those pictures of?" Keiko asked suspiciously. As I was opening my mouth to make an excuse, Kurama answered. "Rabid demon bunnies as they were being slaughtered. We knew it would be too terrifying for you to handle," Kurama said calmly. I almost burst out laughing, but instead averted my eyes to the floor. "Rabid demon... bunnies?" Keiko repeated slowly. Kurama nodded, his face serious. "Oh... well... thank you. I'm glad I didn't see it... I like bunnies," Yukina commented. For a moment we all just stood in awkward silence. Then, a voice broke out over the intercom. "Will Hiei and Kurama please report to the captain's quarters? Thank you." "Well, me must get going. Good bye ladies," Kurama bade. In unison, the girls waved goodbye and we went our separate ways, but as soon as we turned the corner, we began to laugh. Kurama's laugh was smooth and cheerful, while mine was deep and rough. Despite this, we laughed together, amazed at what had just happened and our incredible luck. "Remind me to repay you when we leave here," I said once I stopped laughing. Kurama just nodded. Finally, we reached the captain's quarters and stepped inside. I was surprised to find Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Botan accompanied by a girl and boy- both of which looked familiar. After studying them more carefully, I recognized the man as the waiter I had harassed and the woman as Kurama's masseuse. Sitting down beside Yusuke, I looked to him for an explanation. "These are the culprits," He announced firmly. Kurama and I stared at them in astonishment. These two were responsible? Well, it made sense... but one question still remained... "How did you find them so quickly?" Kurama asked amazed. Kuwabara and Yusuke laughed uneasily. "Well... it wasn't easy, but that's not the point. These two came forward willingly, but they'll only hand over the film on one condition..." Yusuke explained. Turning to the two expectantly, we waited to hear the requirement. With the girl pointing at Kurama, and the boy pointing at me, they said: "You have to be my slave for a day." Our eyes narrowing, Kurama and retorted: "There's no way in hell."  
  
* * * * *  
Apparently, there was...  
"You promised we'd become the slaves of whoever brought back the film without our consent... and then you expect us to go through with it?" I demanded darkly.  
"Basically, yes," Yusuke agreed with a weak grin.  
"Why can't we just take the film from them?" I questioned angrily.  
"Certain laws and a bunch of crap like that. 'It's their right' or whatever," Yusuke exclaimed with a shrug of his shoulders.  
"If they are profiting off of our photos, that violates a law as well, doesn't it? Who told you that we couldn't take it from them?" I asked ominously. Yusuke shifted in his chair while the others remained silent. I didn't need an answer- I knew. "Koenma," I hissed.  
"Come on Hiei, its only one day. What's the worst that can happen? Besides, if we let them keep the film, they might publish it in more places once we get off the ship," Kurama pointed out. Frustrated, I placed my head in my hands and thought over the situation. Kurama did have a point... but if that idiot made me do anything I refused to do, I would have his head on a stick and much more before then. With a grim expression, I looked at Yusuke.  
"All right, tell them that we agree, but give them this warning; I do not take kindly to ningens- especially those that order me around," I ordered. Yusuke nodded. Together, the four of us left Botan in her office and returned to our rooms. In the dark of night, I laid in my bed.  
"Good night Hiei," Kuwabara bade tiredly. I didn't reply as I turned on my side and stared at the wall. Only three more days to go...  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Keep running. Don't stop until I tell you," He ordered smugly. I rolled my eyes as I continued to run circles around him, creating a breeze. He sat, laid out on a chair, drink in hand. I on the other hand, was garbed completely in black as the sun beat down, and truth be told, I was getting hungry... but I would never show weakness to a ningen. So, I kept running around my new, dare I even say it, 'master', while wondering how Kurama was faring. I had been woken by Botan only an hour ago to be deposited on the moron's doorstep. He had shown up in his swim trunks and led me to the deck. The waiter claimed he had a lot in store for me, but for now, he wanted to see me sweat. I couldn't help but at his idiocy. Nothing he did could possibly affect me- didn't he know that my main element was fire? When it seemed like I had been running forever, he finally motioned for me to stop. I did so, and then glared at him with all my fury. He smiled smugly, but my expression did not alter. "All right Hiei, that will suffice. Let's go to the pool." "Why in the world are we going there?" I questioned. "You're going to get me a girlfriend," The man exclaimed with a smile. I couldn't hide my surprise. "Nani? Is that why you wanted me to be your slave? You're so pathetic that you can't get your own woman?" I guessed. The waiter glared at me and then shrugged. "Partly. Mostly because you embarrassed me. I wanted you to be in debt to me so I asked my sister, that masseuse you met to help me get pictures of you. She sent a girl out to scream and distract you guys. Don't worry Hiei; I'm not going to do too much to you. I know you'd like to kill me... Just play along and make this easier on yourself," The waiter persuaded. "Hn. You could have made this easier on all of us by not taking those pictures, but you had to go and prove you were an idiot. When this is over, you can guarantee I will come after you," I promised viciously. The man glanced at me out of the corner of his eye and shrugged once more. I continued to walk beside him, my body tense. "I'm Mark, by the way," He explained. "What type of name is that?" I asked sourly. "American," He answered, his voice barely above a whisper. I was silent. Now that he mentioned it, he looked American- pale skin, blond hair, blue eyes... but I would not ask what he was doing working on a Japanese cruise ship. Finally, we reached the pool. Because it was still pretty early, there weren't many women around. I looked to Mark, curious to what he would have me do next. Mark looked to me and smiled mischievously. I looked away and rolled my eyes. This was going to be a long day.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Well, aren't you the cutest thing?" She cooed as she laid her manicured hand on my shoulder. I twitched as I hissed:  
"It'd be cute if I broke your arm."  
"What did you say cutie?" She asked surprised. Stay focused. I thought to myself.  
"Nothing. See that guy over there?" I questioned, pointing to Mark who stood a few yards away.  
"Yeah, what about him?" The blond girl before me asked.  
"He thinks you're the pinnacle of beauty although I'm not sure if I would agree with him. He's an American with poor taste and unfortunately for him, his IQ doesn't match his good looks. For this very reason, I think you'd be the perfect match for eachother," I explained flatly. The girl blinked at me before asking slowly.  
"Oh... what was your name again?" Remain calm... remain calm... she can't help it if she's stupid. I thought to myself.  
"If you value your life, go over and talk to that man," I answered shortly. The girls eyes seemed to dim.  
"But... he's not as hot as you," She said with a flutter of her eyelashes. Deciding to humor her, I answered:  
"You dare flirt with a married man?" Eyes widening in shock, she screeched:  
"You're married?!"  
"Shh," I hissed as heads began to turn. The girl's eyes began to gloss over and she placed her head in her hands.  
"Oh, I knew it! Why are all the cute guys gay?! It was only a matter of time!" She sobbed.  
"What the hell are you talking about?" I demanded in alarm. Looking up at me, her eyes red, the girl replied:  
"You and Kurama are married, right?" My eyes widened in surprise, then quickly narrowed in anger. Before I told her off though, an idea popped into my head. Mark wouldn't let me take a break until I got him a girl... perhaps I could use her stupidity to my advantage.  
"Yes, we're married, but not many people know. That guy is trying to... uh... steal Kurama away from me. That's why I need you to keep him occupied," I persuaded, nearly choking on my words.  
"Aww... that is so romantic! Okay sweety, I'll help you," She said with a smile. I watched in relief as she got to her feet and made her way over to Mark. They exchanged a few words and smiled. Mark looked over to me with a stunned look and a goofy grin. Slowly, I approached them.  
"Hiei, how did you get her to like me?" Mark whispered.  
"Call it demon charm," I exclaimed with an evil smirk.  
"Well... thanks man... you know, I've always dreamed of having a girl like this. You're free to go now," Mark explained. I couldn't believe my ears. Were all humans this gullible?  
"Wise choice. Just remember, as soon as this cruise is over, I'm coming after you," I stated, glaring at Mark. Mark smiled, something that baffled me. Did he think I was joking?  
"Okay. I'll be ready with more black mail," He promised. A vein popped under my black hair.  
"Do that, and I may kill you. If you don't give back those photographs I will kill you," I exclaimed. Mark nodded. Seeing that I was free to go, I left the deck and headed in the direction of the dining hall. I could use some food before I returned to my room. When I reached the doors to the dining room though, I didn't have the chance to open them, for just then, someone came running around the corner.  
He was wearing hardly anything- just a small white towel around his waist, and he was completely soaked. What appeared to be whipped cream was dripping down his chest... then I realized, the man was none other than Kurama. As he ran past me, I shouted:  
"Oi, kitsune!" Screeching to halt, he turned to me. Instantly, his eyes flooded with relief. Running up to me he said:  
"Hiei, you have to hide me! That woman is insane! She sent me to get some chocolate, but I have to get away from her!" He said feverishly. I couldn't help but smile.  
"The great Kurama has woman trouble?" I questioned teasingly.  
"Hiei, I'm serious! Onegai!" He pleaded. I shook my head.  
"If you don't do as that baka says, we'll never get those photos back," I reminded him. To my surprise, Kurama's eyes narrowed and he grabbed me by the shoulder. I felt his nails dig into my skin and I flinched.  
"Hiei, even you would not obey her. She wants more from me than just companionship," He hinted viciously. The look in Kurama's eyes startled me. It was if he had turned Yoko.  
"All right, I'll assist you, but you owe me," I agreed. Almost immediately, Kurama returned to normal.  
"Arigatou! Arigatou gozaimasu!" Kurama thanked me.  
"Hn."  
The first thing we did was return to my room. For some reason, Kurama couldn't return to his. He said that the woman, Angela was her name, would come looking for him there... so, he would have to borrow some of my black pants.  
I sat on my bed while Kurama showered. When he finally came out, a larger towel wrapped around him, I threw him a pair of pants. I turned away as he started to slip them on. Finally, he had them on, but they seemed a little tight. He began to pull up the zipper, but stopped half way. I could hear footsteps outside, but ignored them.  
"What's wrong Kurama?" I questioned impatiently.  
"It's stuck," He exclaimed as he began moving the zipper up and down.  
"Well, pull harder," I ordered. In the back of my mind, I noticed that the footsteps had stopped.  
"I can't Hiei- it's too hard. Can you help me?" Kurama asked.  
"Do I have to do everything? Okay, fine. I'll pull, you just hold still," I instructed. Walking over to Kurama, I pulled on the zipper with all my strength, but it wouldn't budge. Annoyed, I put some of my ki into the zipper, warming the metal and loosing it.  
"Ow, Hiei! That hurts!" Kurama yelped, sucking in his stomach to get away from the hot metal.  
"Hold still Kurama- I'm almost finished," I growled in frustration. Putting some more heat into it, I pulled. Kurama yelped again as the zipper touched his stomach, and pulled away violently, causing me to move forward with him. A second later, we fell backwards onto the bed- I was on top of Kurama and glared at him angrily. Just then, the door swung open, revealing Yusuke and Kuwabara.  
The two boys stared at us in awe, their eyes wide. Feverishly, I got off of him, and Kurama blushed in embarrassment.  
"How long have you been listening?" I hissed angrily.  
Yusuke and Kuwabara looked to eachother and grinned. "It's stuck," Yusuke said, mimicking Kurama.  
"Well, pull harder!" Kuwabara answered. The two broke out laughing as I reddened in anger. They had heard it all, and I knew that with their minds, a zipper was the last thing they would think of.  
"Don't worry Hiei, we won't ask. See you later!" Yusuke bade. With that, the two went down the hall, laughing and carrying on before I had the chance to vent my rage. I looked at Kurama, who smiled sheepishly.  
"Well, it isn't stuck anymore!" He said cheerfully.  
"Shut up!" I snapped.  
  
* * * * * Throughout the day, Kurama and I wandered the ship, keeping out of people's way and staying in the shadows. We didn't see Angela or Mark, and then finally, dinner time was upon us. Together, Kurama and I returned to the dining hall and found a table. "Thanks Hiei, I appreciate it," Kurama said as we got our food. I just shrugged. "It's not very often that you need rescuing Kurama. I find your situation quite amusing," I stated with a small smile. "I thought you would," Kurama replied with a hint of sarcasm. We ate in silence, acknowledging one another with our spirit energy. It was good to be free again. "Kura-kun! There you are!" A grating voice rang out. Kurama choked on his food and lurched forward to promptly spit it out. After wiping his mouth, we both turned to see Angela the masseuse coming towards us. Kurama looked to me worriedly. I had never seen him act this way because of a human and it disturbed me. Was she as terrible as he made her out to be? What type of power did she possess to make him avoid her completely? I couldn't detect any spirit energy coming from her... perhaps she was a demon in disguise. When she came to our table, I tensed and glared at her. "Kura-kun, you never came back with my chocolate. I got worried. Where have you been? Come back to the room this instant," She ordered. Kurama opened his mouth, but I spoke first. "I have no clue how you are torturing Kurama, but if you want to harm him any further, you have to get through me as well," I challenged her darkly. The girl stared at me in surprise before she began to laugh. "I'm not torturing him silly! We're pleasuring ourselves. I have gone too long without a night of fun and Kurama is the ideal boy toy. Come on Kura, we don't want to be late," She answered. My eyebrows furrowed. Boy toy? She was merely playing with Kurama? I looked to the fox youkai with questioning eyes. He still appeared to be nervous. Something wasn't right. "I don't care. Either way, you'll have to go through me first," I repeated. At this, the girl's eyes narrowed. "He is my slave unless you no longer want the film, so he has to do as I say. Now, if he doesn't come with me, you'll be seeing your pictures all over Japan," She hissed. "You'll be dead before you can get off this ship, so that's highly unlikely," I shot back. "Hiei..." Kurama trailed. Before anyone could say anymore, a new voice broke in. "Leave those two alone!" It pleaded. Curiously, the three of us looked in the direction of the voice. I was astonished to see the girl from earlier- Mark's new girlfriend. "And why should I?" Angela demanded. "Not many people know, but those two are married. It'd be wrong to come between them," She explained. Kurama took on a deadpan expression as he slowly turned to me. "Miss, you're mistaken, Hiei and I-" Before he could get the words out though, I nudged Kurama hard in the ribs. He stopped and looked at me in disbelief. Play along idiot. I thought, praying that'd he'd understand. If he wanted to save himself, he needed to become a better actor. "Hiei and I are only engaged," Kurama finished slowly. "Well, it's still wrong!" Mark's girlfriend declared. Angela looked at the two of us suspiciously. Buy it bitch. Believe it and walk away before I'm forced to hurt you. I thought quietly. But to my dismay, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I don't believe you. If you're really engaged, prove it!" She exclaimed. This woman was beginning to get on my last nerve. How did she expect us to prove something like that? Especially since... it wasn't true. "What would you like us to do?" Kurama questioned weakly. With an evil grin, Angela said: "Kiss eachother." "Nani?" I asked. "On the lips." "Nani?!" We repeated together. "If you're really engaged, you must love eachother. Kiss eachother and I promise I'll leave Kurama alone," She promised smugly. Forget it- I'd just kill her now. Reaching for my hidden katana, I prepared myself to attack, but before I got a chance, Kurama leaned over and pressed his lips against mine. I gasped in surprise, only to inhale some of his saliva. I coughed, but it was muffled by Kurama's body. After what seemed like forever, he broke away and turned to Angela. "Satisfied?" He asked calmly. Angela, her eyes wide, just nodded. Reaching into her pocket, she handed Kurama a bottle used for film. Without a word, she turned and walked away. Winking at me flirtatiously, Mark's girlfriend did the same. I turned to Kurama, my eyes twice their normal size and my mouth open. I couldn't believe what had just happened. If he refused to kill me, I'd do it myself for the embarrassment was too much to bear. I had been kissed by my best friend... but not on the cheek, or on accident- on the lips. "Kur..a...ma..." I trailed, unsure of what to say. "Sorry Hiei, I really am, but I was desperate," Kurama apologized. "Right... I understand," I said in a daze of some sort. Suddenly, I felt like I was going to be sick. Getting up from the table, I hurried out of the room and over to the rail of the boat. Disregarding everything around me, I threw up over the rail and stared down at the crashing waves below. I couldn't forget the way it felt to have Kurama's lips against mine. "Disgusting. Does he really have so much spit in his mouth? He could have drowned me!" I fumed angrily. Truthfully, I wasn't mad at Kurama, just surprised. He had caught me completely off guard... but most of all, I had never expected him to do what the woman asked. I closed my eyes and tried not to think of what had just occurred. Kurama hadn't followed. For that, I was grateful. All I wanted to do now was sleep. With my stomach churning, I returned to the room I shared with Kuwabara and plopped down on the soft mattress. "I am not gay!" I yelled into my pillow angrily.  
"Good to hear it," A voice teased. I turned to see Kuwabara walk into the room.  
"Quiet you- I never asked for your opinion," I snapped. Kuwabara smiled before walking into the bathroom. Shutting my eyes tightly, I crawled under the covers and thought of Japan. I missed sleeping in the trees, the silence of being alone and killing demons to pass the time. I missed my relatively normal life, and I hated being stuck on this cruise with humans.  
"What's the point of dying? I'm already in hell," I realized. With that, I fell asleep. 


	8. Part 8 Battle of the Bands

* * * * *  
  
"Hiei, wake up," A soft voice prodded.  
"What is it?" I questioned groggily. I had gotten a good night's sleep, but I still felt sick. Seeing Yukina improved my mood, but not by much.  
"The main event today is 'bands'. The boys were wondering if you could play bass guitar and sing," She explained. I blinked at her before sitting up.  
"What time is it?" I questioned.  
"Ten o'clock," She answered.  
"Where are they?" I wondered.  
"They're in the main theater. It has a big stage where the bands will be performing," Yukina explained.  
"Fine, I'll go, but only because I have nothing better to do," I agreed. Yukina nodded and smiled.  
"All right, see you later," My sister bade as she left the room. Tiredly, I got out of bed, looked at the map of the ship and took off for the main theater.  
When I finally arrived in the large auditorium, I saw a couple of different groups with instruments that were turning and warming up. Too lazy to look around, I opened my Jagan eye and used it to find Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama. The three were sitting in a far corner. Yusuke was warming up his vocals while Kurama strummed on his guitar and Kuwabara beat on the drums. Just as I was about to head towards them though, someone jumped into my Jagan vision. Startled, I tripped backwards, shutting my third eye abruptly.  
I now faced a giggling Botan. "Kisama! What do you want? Unless you have a death wish, don't do that again!" I instructed grumpily. As I got to my feet Botan smiled and said:  
"I'm judging the bands! Teehee. Hiei, I saw hat you and Kurama did yesterday. It was so sweet- I just had to take a picture!" She giggled. Eyes flashing, I pulled out my katana and placed it to her throat, causing her to gasp.  
"Don't joke, or you die. If anyone finds out about that kiss, I'll kill you," I threatened. Instantly, the girl's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.  
"Kiss? I was talking about the whole zipper thing. Koenma has cameras you know. What's this kiss you mentioned?" She asked curiously.  
"Forget it," I seethed. Leaving Botan clueless, I made my way over to my companions. They looked up as I approached and greeted me.  
"Hey Hiei! You came!" Yusuke stated happily.  
"Yeah, we didn't think you'd want to," Kuwabara added.  
"Hn," I replied. At this, Kurama looked to me, his expression troubled. I nodded to him to show I wasn't angry and he relaxed. Without direction, I walked over to my red bass guitar that the others had brought along. Putting the strap over my shoulder, I strummed a few chords with my bare fingers and smiled. Out of everything in the human world, only this guitar had ever interested me- that, and the sweet snow called ice cream. For some reason, this piece of metal and strings calmed me. I hadn't really come for Yusuke and the others- I had come to soothe my own soul. To forget about the events of the past few days...  
"Earth to Hiei!" Yusuke exclaimed, interrupting my thoughts as I played a tune on my guitar.  
"Huh?" I asked, looking to the others.  
"He wasn't listening," Kuwabara sighed.  
"We were discussing what song we should play," Yusuke explained.  
"I think we should do something no one has heard, that way, our fans will enjoy it," Kurama suggested.  
"Always thinking of our ningen fans," I muttered. Kurama glanced at me, but said nothing.  
"I think it's a good idea," Kuwabara piped up.  
"Well, then, I definitely think we should do something else. Kuwabara having a good idea is like saying a goldfish discovered how to fly," I retorted sarcastically.  
"Just because you don't think it's good doesn't mean we shouldn't do it!" Kuwabara argued.  
"Yeah, come on Hiei. Let's do something new," Yusuke persuaded.  
"Whatever. Just don't expect much," I stated with a sigh.  
"It's settled then! Well, let's get cracking," Yusuke announced. I could tell that this was going to be another long day.  
  
* * * * *  
  
By half past four, we were the only band left in the theater. Botan brought us some food, which was quickly devoured by the four of us. We had finished our song, and all that was left was to distribute the lyrics. Like usual, Kurama and Yusuke had partnered up to create the verses to the new tune. When Kurama handed me my piece, I stared at it quizzically.  
"Why are you giving me the most lyrics?" I asked suspiciously.  
"Trust me, the crowd will love you," Kurama assured me with a smile. I rolled my eyes at him to show my disapproval.  
"I don't know who to trust anymore, but if you embarrass me, I'll rip out your voice box as a warning," I vowed.  
"Haven't you said something like that to me before?" Kurama asked with a grin.  
"Something like that," I agreed darkly.  
"All right, go ahead and practice your parts. We perform at nine o'clock tonight," Yusuke stated. Immediately, we went our separate ways. I carried my guitar to the lower deck where no one could be seen. If I went back to my room, Kuwabara would be there as well, practicing on his drums. There was no way I could concentrate with all of his noise.  
I practiced my part over and over until I could finally perform it perfectly without glancing at the music. The lyrics however, were another matter. "Kurama, what were you thinking?" I asked myself. We'd see if his ideas paid off.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The noise of the crowd was deafening as Botan addressed them. To my knowledge, five different bands had been permitted to compete due to time issues. Two groups I did not recognize would perform before us, and two after. The last band perked my interest- it was three girls. And then, as Botan explained further, I realized that it was none other than Tomoyo, Corri, and Kara. I couldn't help but laugh. What could those three possibly hope to accomplish?  
Besides that, I knew none of the others, nor did I care about them. The four of us had all changed back into our costumes, and I did not feel like hanging around. We stood behind stage as the first band warmed up. The lights were dimmed and different color spotlights were pointed at the performers. Growing impatient, I turned to Kurama and said:  
"I'll be back." He looked to me and nodded. Kurama knew better than to question me. While no one was watching, I jumped up into the rafters above me and walked along them till I was directly over the stage. I watched from the shadows and couldn't help but think to myself, I have the best seat any of those stupid ningens could ever hope for.  
Finally, it was time to start. Botan came up to the microphone and introduced the first band before walking off the stage. The group consisted of five people, all of which were boys. They dressed in black and had spiked hair, chains, and other strange accessories. There were three singers, all whom played a different kind of guitar, plus a drummer and a keyboardist.  
Although they played well, their lyrics were poor and barely audible. Yawning, I stretched out on my stomach and placed my head on the wooden beam as the next band got up to play. Strangely enough, this one was made up of all girls- tall, pale girls in bikinis that all played guitar. When they started to play, adding their own parts one at a time, I was surprised by their skill. As they started to sing though, I was astonished by their voices. These ningens could sing- and sing well. As they ended, I was filled with passion. The passion to defeat them. I would not be shown up by a group of ningen females.  
I saw Kurama, Kuwabara and Yusuke step out underneath me, and the crowd roared in approval. Seeing that Kurama was holding my guitar, I dropped down beside him. The noise increased and I smiled smugly. Taking my instrument from Kurama, I slipped my strap over my shoulder and took my position on the left side of the stage. Kuwabara sat at the drums, and Kurama went with his electric guitar to the right. Yusuke took center stage and grabbed the main microphone.  
Then, Botan came up and handed me, Kurama and Kuwabara head sets with their own individual mics. Quietly, I slipped mine on, tapping it twice to make sure that the sound registered in the speakers. Hooking up my guitar, I strummed a few chords and heard the note's hum out over the sound system. The others all tested their instruments and microphones as well. When everything had been checked, Yusuke began to speak.  
"Hey everybody, we're going to rock your socks off! We created a new song just for you guys and worked our butts off, so enjoy!" As he finished, he looked to Kuwabara and nodded.  
Immediately, Kuwabara began to set a beat on the snare, alternating with closed cymbal. It was a fast beat, with snare hitting every second, the third beat being the cymbal. Suddenly, Kurama began to play on his guitar, starting low and quickly climbing to high notes. After he had gone up and down a few different scales, he strummed the fast tune that served as the melody for our song. Two high notes, a low note, a middle note, and another high. The first notes went fast, and the next two were held longer- the last was strummed hard and held in the air. The beat kept on, but the there was now no guitar. As Yusuke readied to sing, I began my part, two alternating low notes that accompanied Kuwabara's rhythm.  
"The darkness... it swirls all around me and I can't escape. The darkness... how can it be, when you're with me, there's no sun?" Yusuke sang. To answer, Kurama began to melody on his guitar while singing in reply.  
"Don't lie to me, all I see is the light, is that your way of saying you hate me?" As Kurama's voice drifted thought the air, Kuwabara broke out.  
"Maybe it wasn't meant to be..." Taking a deep breath, I stopped strumming and sang.  
"If you're not sure, prove your love to me--... tonight."  
Instantly, the stage lit up, and the beat got faster. Kurama and I began playing our harmony parts- his high, and mine low. Kuwabara was drumming on all of his percussion and just as we finished our pieces, he hit the hanging cymbal hard. Together, we sang while playing:  
"Tonight may be the night. Who knows what it holds? Just come, hold me close, we can work it out. Each day our love grows. Prove it to me—tonight!" The drums faded as Kuwabara returned to the original beat. Kurama softly played the melody as I strummed the accompaniment on my guitar.  
*Author's Note- I personally wrote this song*  
"So what now? Will this darkness ever fade, will we see another day? Help me, I don't know what to do..." Yusuke exclaimed.  
"We can do it. We must work together if we want to see forever, so please try. Grab my hand..." Kurama replied.  
"Grab my hand," Kuwabara echoed.  
"And fly," I finished as the beat kicked up again. At this time, Kurama and I moved to the center of the stage beside Yusuke, and while facing away from eachother, played the melody.  
Kurama and I sang another version of the chorus together, saying: "Tonight may be the night. Who knows what it holds? Just come, fly with me. We can work it out, each day our friendship grows. Prove it to me- tonight!"  
While we went on playing the main tune, Yusuke and Kuwabara echoed our words. Then, kicking up the beat once more, we started towards the end.  
  
"I don't know what the future holds," Yusuke began,  
"And I don't know about you," Kurama answered.  
"But I want to keep going on," Kuwabara added.  
"Fighting towards the end- Kurama stated.  
"Fighting towards the end- Yusuke echoed.  
"Fighting towards the end- Kuwabara exclaimed.  
"Tonight- tonight-------------- I finished as the others joined in. Climbing up and down the scales, we reached the finale of our song. Kuwabara beat mercilessly on the drums and ended with a cymbal crash.  
The crowd roared loudly in approval. I watched as the others bowed, but I remained motionless. Finally, we gathered our stuff and walked off the stage, allowing the next band to get up. I turned to leave, but before I got out of the room, Kurama grabbed my shoulder.  
"We should stay Hiei, Tomoyo and the others have entered as well," Kurama pointed out.  
"So? They're ningens as well, why should we watch them?" I asked stubbornly. Kurama smiled.  
"Come on. We'll see if they're any good," He persuaded.  
"Might as well. The judging happens after everyone performs, so I guess I'll stay and see who wins," I agreed in a bored tone. Kurama's smile brightened as he slipped off his guitar and turned to watch the upcoming band. Once again, I jumped into the rafters to watch. This 'band' was actually I duet- a boy and girl, both on electric guitar. I lost interest half way through their song. It was too slow, and their voices grated on my nerves. Finally, they finished and left the stage.  
I saw Corri, Tomoyo, and Kara step up. To my surprise, Corri had a guitar, Tomoyo was carrying a harp, and Kara held a... harmonica? That's the strangest combination of instruments I've ever seen. I thought to myself. I watched curiously as Tomoyo went to the left, Kara to the right, and Corri to the center. They all had microphones set before them. Because the harp was as big as she was, Tomoyo pulled up a stool and sat down. Kara stood, as did Corri. Her guitar wasn't electric, but a black acoustic. This was pathetic. How did they expect to impress the crowd with that sort of ensemble?  
"Hello everyone, I'm Corri, and these are my best friends, Kara and Tomoyo. We'll be performing one song for you tonight, and although we don't expect to win, we hope you enjoy it," Inu-ko said as she spoke into the microphone. With that, they began. First, Tomoyo plucked the strings on her harp, creating a soothing tune. Then, Corri jumped in, accompanying her with her own melody. Finally, Kara played her harmonica- a lively tune. That added onto both of the girl's previous melodies. While the music played, Corri began to sing.  
*Author's Note- This song was written by my best friend, Kara*  
  
"Here I stand, alone  
  
As the music plays  
  
While I watch you with her  
  
I think, 'Things will never be the same'."  
As Corri's soothing voice faded, Tomoyo picked up the slack.  
  
"I catch your eye, you smile  
  
You whisper over her shoulder  
'Wait for me'  
And you know I'll stay for eternity."  
This time, both Corri and Tomoyo sang.  
  
"If you'll  
  
Save the last dance for me  
Save the last dance for me  
Please  
Save the last dance for me."  
Yet again, Corri started to sing, and I noticed that the girls were alternating verses with the exception of the chorus.  
"I take your hand  
Wondering if I should  
You reassure me once more  
What have I gotten myself into?."  
"This feeling  
It won't let me breathe  
But I like it  
So I'm asking you now-"  
"Please save the last dance for me  
Save the last dance for me  
I'll do most anything if you  
Save the last dance for me."  
"The music has ended  
And so has life, as I knew it  
When the band restarts  
You hold me and say, 'Again'."  
"I murmur back, 'Not yet'  
Even though I don't want to  
I hear myself whisper, 'I can't'  
And I run away, run away."  
"I'm going against everything  
I've ever wanted  
Just because I'm afraid to be happy  
I'm gonna turn back, I'm ready now."  
"When I finally find you  
You're with her again  
But I'll wait patiently  
For as long as needed."  
"Because you promised that you'd  
  
Save the last dance for me  
Save the last dance for me  
Please  
Save the last dance  
Save the last dance for me  
You know I'll do most anything  
So save your last dance for me."  
"Soon enough, I'm in your arms  
For the second time  
Hoping that I won't ever have to leave  
Happy in the one true fact that you  
Saved the last dance for me..."  
Although the song was fairly slow and mellow, it stirred my heart. The music was haunting and soulful. As the girls took a bow, the crowd cheered. Botan took the stage, and once things quieted down, began to speak.  
"Well, that was quite a show! But as you know, there can only be one winner! This is how it works- I have a new gadget called an Approval Meter- the louder you clap or cheer, the higher the rating. We're going to narrow it down until we only have one band left," Botan exclaimed. "We'll start with our first two bands..." She trailed. Out of the first two groups, the crowd cheered loudest for the group of girls. Then, we were pitted against the fourth band. Of course, we won. Then, Corri's group and the second band were judged. Corri's group was the more popular, but only by barely, which surprised me.  
Now was the real test- our group against the three girls. First, people cheered for Corri and her friends, then ours. We all watched in anticipation, curious to see who would be declared the winner.  
"It's... a tie!" Botan said in surprise.  
"Nani?" Everyone questioned in amazement.  
"The meter reads even," Botan said helplessly. A moment later, the crowd was in an uproar. Even I was angry. How could she say we were both the champions? I would not share a title with a group of humans. Especially not female ningens! "All right, all right everyone, calm down!" Botan pleaded. "Let's settle this with a duel shall we?" She suggested. Grinning wildly, I dropped down from the rafters and onto the stage. I unsheathed my sword and said:  
"Now you've got my attention. Which one of those ningens do I get to right?" As I said this, Kurama, Kuwabara, and Yusuke ran up beside me.  
"Oh, not a physical duel Hiei! I mean a duel of musicians!" Botan explained. "Pick three people from your team to go up against the girls and then whoever wins the most duels will be declared the winner," Botan went on.  
"Fine. But who is going to be the judge?" Yusuke wondered.  
"Me of course!" A voice exclaimed. As Tomoyo, Kara, and Corri walked over to us, we all turned to see Koenma step onto the stage.  
"A toddler is going to decide who the better musician is? Great!" Yusuke seethed.  
"That's Mr. Toddler to you!" Koenma snapped as he turned into his teenage form. Cleaning his throat, he said: "Yusuke, we'll need Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei. You're not playing an instrument."  
"All right, fine! I see how it is," Yusuke fumed as he stomped off the stage. Moments later, he disappeared into the crowd.  
"Well then. Shall we begin? Hiei, you can go against Kara, Kuwabara, you can against Tomoyo, and Kurama, you're with Corri. All right, who wants to go first?" Koenma asked.  
"I will," Kara and I both decided.  
"Okay. Begin whenever you're ready," Koenma instructed. Strapping on my bass guitar, I waited till Kara was ready. I began with some basic chords- a small tune that had been stuck in my head. To my surprise, Kara mimicked my notes, only on a higher octave. This time, I played a more complex piece, but again, the girl matched me note for note. Taking on the offensive, Kara played her own piece After listening carefully, I put all three parts together to create one song. The crowd applauded loudly. Suddenly, Kara did the same, this time adding on, then she began again. I joined in with her and soon we were played a heated duet. We went on, letting the music flow between us. It appeared that we were both adept musicians.  
Finally, we stopped, looking to Koenma for his verdict. Silence filled the theater until he said: "This battle is a draw." Although I wasn't happy, I said nothing. Kara was a worthy adversary... as a musician. The crowd seemed divided, but the decision had been made. I stepped away, allowing Kuwabara to drag his drums forward. As Corri backed off, Tomoyo took her place.  
"Begin!" Koenma declared. Instantly, Tomoyo started to play on the harp, her small, delicate hands moving gracefully across the strings. The girl was impressive as well. Although she appeared shy and reserved, she had no problem performing in front of large crowds. The beautiful notes filled the air, and then suddenly stopped. A few seconds later, Kuwabara began to play the drums, creating a catchy beat. At least the buffoon was good at something, but in contrast to Tomoyo's performance, he was weak, not to mention mediocre.  
"The winner is Tomoyo!" Koenma declared, causing the crowd to cheer.  
"Hey! You didn't give me time to unleash my secret weapon!" Kuwabara protested. Koenma just shrugged. "Man, this is whack," He grumbled as he moved out of the way. Bowing to the crowd, Tomoyo did the same.  
Now it would be Corri vs. Kurama. This would be interesting. I knew Kurama was highly skilled. He had been playing guitar longer than I had. I learned everything from him and it was highly unlikely that Corri would best him, but I had not seen her perform solo, so that remained to be seen.  
  
"All right, this is the final round. The Yu Yu team needs to win one to tie. If they do win, we'll have a tiebreaker. Begin," Koenma instructed.  
  
Kurama wasted no time in going through the many notes that he knew. His hands moved effortlessly up the guitar neck and back down. The electric flare of his guitar created a hard-hitting feeling that washed over the audience. When Kurama finished, I looked to Corri. She played something on her acoustic guitar that wasn't as extensive, but good in its own right. It was an impressive combination of notes that created a peaceful, relaxing mood.  
Kurama answered, this time changing his approach. Instead of using his pick, he plucked at the strings freehand. He performed an intricate piece that only some of the best guitarists could perform. I knew Corri didn't stand a chance. Slowly, Corri replied, going up and down the neck of the guitar. Then, there was silence.  
"And the inner is Kurama!" Koenma announced. The audience applauded excitedly, but now a new problem arose. We needed a tie breaker. Once the crowd finally settled down, Koenma began to speak.  
"Well, it seems we must have a tie breaker. Botan, bring up the box," Koenma ordered. Immediately, Botan came forward, a small black box in hand. There was a hole on the top, but I could not see inside. "All right, everyone reach into this box and pull out a ball," Koenma explained. Botan passed the box around and we all did as we had been told. I wondered if this would decide our tie breaker. "Okay, now look at your ball. Does any of them say winner?" Koenma asked.  
"Yes. mine does," Kurama agreed, showing his ball to Koenma for verification.  
"All right, the winner is the Yu Yu team! Congratulations," Koenma declared.  
"What?" We all demanded in disbelief. The winners had been decided by a drawing?  
"This isn't fair!" Corri exclaimed angrily. Even though I favored our band, I had to agree. It was worst than playing Janken.  
"Sorry, that's life. You'll receive your prizes later," Koenma explained as he left the theater. I assumed that he wanted to leave before angry onlookers attacked him.  
"Wonderful performance ladies, I'm sorry that it ended like this," Kurama apologized.  
"Don't worry Kurama, you guys deserved it. See you later," Tomoyo bade. In agreement, we all went our separate ways. Soon, the theater began to empty out. A few minutes later, I was back in my room and on my bed once again. Another day had passed. After tomorrow, I would finally return to Nihongo. Japan, don't sink into the sea... I can not live on this ship any longer...  
  
* * * * * 


	9. Part 9 Dance Dance

"Rise and shine sleeping beauty!" An obnoxious voice sang. Instinctively, I reached out towards the voice and fired off some of my ki. Opening my eyes, I saw Yusuke as he waved away the smoke caused by my attack. "Are you always this grumpy in the morning?" He asked with a grin.  
"Hn," I replied as I slipped out of bed. Realizing that I was still in my costume, I quickly went into the bathroom to change. Once I was finished, I came back out. Yusuke seemed to be waiting for me. "Why did you wake me?" I questioned annoyed.  
"To bug you of course! No, seriously Hiei, I have a reason- relax. We're all going to the Dessert Bar. Wanna come along?" Yusuke wondered.  
"Dessert? That's what you woke me for. You're an idiot- why would I want dessert this early in the morning. Fine then- seeing that you already woke me up, I'll go, but next time you wake me, I'll be having your head for desert," I muttered. Yusuke just smiled.  
"All right then- let's go," He continued. Slightly disgruntled, I followed Yusuke to a part of the ship I hadn't yet visited. It was tucked away in a far corner of the vessel, but appeared quite crowded. When we finally reached two doors labeled: Dessert Bar, Yusuke pushed them open and stepped inside. The room was large- identical to the dining hall with the exception of the stage. Also, tables were lined up all around the room, overflowing with all the desserts you could imagine. The selection ranged from cake, to ice cream, to chocolate, and more. Human pleasure foods. I thought as I scoffed.  
"Hello Hiei. Nice of you to join us," A voice exclaimed. Looking to my right, I spotted Kurama along with Kuwabara and Yukina. (Of course, my sister was six feet away from the orange-haired moron.)  
"Hn," I said, nodding to Kurama. Smiling, the fox youkai handed me an empty plate.  
"Get whatever you want and then have a seat. You can get as much as you please," Kurama explained. I shook me head in understanding before walking away from the others. Slowly, I went from table to table, inspecting the food and taking things I found interesting. When my plate was overflowing with sweets, I found the table where Kurama was sitting and sat beside him.  
Kurama was currently eating a slice of chocolate cake. Silently, I started on the chocolates. Then the cake, ice cream, and pie. I was starting to get full when Yusuke and Kuwabara suddenly sat down. Yukina was forced to sit at another table due to the restraining order I had placed on her and Kuwabara.  
They too were stuffing their faces with desserts. Finally, I finished and got up to leave, but before I could, Yusuke threw something at me. Using my lightning reflexes, I caught it in mid air. It was a chocolate.  
"Nanda?" I asked, glaring at him.  
"Eat it Hiei- it's one of the best," Yusuke urged. I stared at him suspiciously and then looked at the candy. It looked like a normal chocolate. Shrugging nonchalantly, I popped the chocolate into my mouth and ate it. To my surprise, it was both bitter and sweet. "Was it good?" Yusuke questioned.  
"Mediocre," I replied as I started to leave.  
"See ya Hiei. Hey you're coming to the dance competition tonight, right?" Yusuke yelled after me.  
"We'll see," I replied without turning around.  
"Okay, we'll come get you," Yusuke went on. I didn't answer- I was already out the door. When I got to my room, I sat down on my bed. The dance competition was in the evening, but I was not going to enter. I wasn't tired, but there was no point in sitting here when I knew Kuwabara would return later.  
Finally, I decided on going onto the deck, but as soon as I got up, I felt my body sway. Startled, I sat back down. A few minutes later, my head began to throb and my vision blurred. Placing my head in my hands, I closed my eyes and tried to relax. It didn't work. Soon, I had a stomachache as well. Suddenly, everything went dark.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Ugh... my head," I moaned as I opened my eyes. To my surprise, I found Kurama leaning over me. I was no longer in my room, but in a hospital bed. I quickly assumed that the cruise ship had an infirmary.  
"How are you feeling?" Kurama asked gently.  
"Like shit," I muttered as I closed my eyes. I heard Kurama laugh and my head throbbed even more.  
"What happened?" I asked.  
"Well, you went skinny dipping in the pool, teepeed the hallways, flooded the bathrooms, and slept with three different girls..."  
"NANI?" I demanded, sitting up in alarm. I sat up so fast that the room spun and I had to lie back down.  
"I'm only joking. You blacked out. The doctor thinks it was because of the large amount of alcohol in your system," Kurama explained.  
"I didn't have any sake today. I know that for a fact, and I've never drank enough to black out," I stated firmly. Kurama appeared perplexed.  
"Somehow, alcohol got into you body," Kurama replied. Lying back on the bed, I closed my eyes and thought. It couldn't have been something I drank, so perhaps it was something I... ate? Just then, I recalled the chocolate Yusuke had given me. Anger swelled up within me. If he had indeed put something in it, he was as good as dead.  
"Yusuke gave me chocolate," I exclaimed abruptly. Kurama's eyes widened and then suddenly, he chuckled. Eventually, his chuckle became a loud laugh that filled the whole room. "What?" I asked in irritation.  
"Hiei, the chocolate Yusuke gave you was probably liquor chocolate- they're dipped in pure alcohol and then covered in layers of chocolate," He explained. I blinked in surprise. Pure alcohol? But why couldn't I smell it? I should have been able to at least notice it! Suddenly, I felt very foolish. Ignoring my current state, I got to my feet. Swaying a little, I turned to Kurama.  
"Where is he?" I demanded as I left the room at a fast pace.  
"He's at the dance competition- it's about to start," Kurama explained. I slowed to a walk.  
"The dance competition? What time is it?" I asked amazed.  
"Six thirty," Kurama answered promptly.  
"Chikuso!" I cursed angrily. It was too late to fight him now. I had been out for a while.  
"I need to go too- I'm competing as well," Kurama went on.  
"Then so shall I," I stated before I could stop myself. Kurama looked to me in surprise but said nothing. Together, we made our way to the dance hall for the main event of the night.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Just like when we battled against other bands, there was a large crowd stretched out before the stage. On the stage, were a dozen different machines. I recognized them as DDR booths from the human arcades. Yusuke and Kuwabara sometimes played against eachother using them. Were we going to be using the booths for the dance competition?  
"Hello everybody, and welcome to our last cruise event- the Dance Dance Revolution Competition! Anyone is allowed to try, but only the top twelve dancers will go on to the second round. Will all participants please get on the stage," Koenma instructed as he grabbed the microphone . After exchanging glances, Kurama and I along with a large group of people got on the stage. "All right- everyone get into a dance booth. There are instructions inside that you can follow. I will tell you when to begin," Koenma added.  
"Good luck Hiei," Kurama said as he picked a booth. I nodded as I entered the booth beside him. Thankfully, I wasn't forced to look at the crowd. All I saw was the TV screen before me as well as a few buttons. I stood on the dancing bad which had four arrows- one facing down, one up, and one left and right. I had seen this game played before. You had to hit the arrows according to the order they appeared on the screen. If you did exactly as the screen said, your body would move in unison with the beat. There were different levels of difficulty resulting in speed changes and several varying amounts of arrow combinations.  
Seeing a paper glued to the wall on my left, I read it silently. 'Enter your name using the button on the panel in front of you. Your name and score will be displayed at the end of each level on your screen as well as on the big screen for the crowd to see.' Doing as it instructed, I used the buttons on the panel to make up the Japanese characters of my name. Then, I pressed enter to confirm it. I watched until the screen loaded to reveal the DDR main menu. Right now, it displayed the names of the contestants. Everyone had zeroes next to their names- no one had played yet so we had no points to boast of. "All right, we'll begin the preliminary round in five...four...three...two...one!" Koenma exclaimed. Instantly, the screen changed to list the name of the song we would be dancing to along with the difficulty. I smirked. This was an easy level. Some instructions flashed across the screen and I read them silently. Finally, they disappeared and a colorful background popped up. I smiled when I realized Mt. Hiei was in the back of the picture. Abruptly, arrows began flying up the screen. I stepped on them as they lined up with their silhouettes. Everything was quiet with the exception of the quirky music and the moving of feet. There were only a few occasions when I missed an arrow, but other than that, I was perfect. Suddenly, the level ended and the scores flew onto the screen. I saw that mine was among the top five along with Kurama, Yusuke, and... Kara and Corri?! My eyes narrowed. So, they too had entered into the competition. Did these girls ever get tired of losing? I would show them that they could never defeat me. I listened as others were dismissed from the stage. Then Koenma began to speak. "We have our twelve contestants. We will eliminate four, than another four, then two, and finally one till we have our winner. May the next round begin!" Immediately, the screen was replaced with forestry. I was surprised to see the song was on I sang- Kuchibue ga Kikoeru. The difficulty was average and I fumed silently. I would 'talk' with Koenma later. Obviously this was not the same DDR they carried in Ningen stores. As the level started, I moved to the arrows. Halfway through the song though, I heard someone singing along. It was Kurama! While listening to him, I missed an arrow. Disgruntled, I returned my concentration to the game. Kurama you ass- singing along to my song. I thought angrily. I was glad the crowd couldn't see me. Finally, the song ended. The screen switched to the scores and I looked for my name. I was ranked third, but what angered me was the fact that Kara was second. Kurama in first I could handle, but a ningen girl? I could envision her taunting me from inside her booth and clenched my fist. Then suddenly, I got an idea. While Koenma dismissed four contestants, I opened my Jagan eye and used it to look into the booths beside me. Kurama was waiting patiently on my left, and Yusuke was on my right. Farther down was Corri and Kara, and then three other people didn't recognize. When Koenma started to address us, I shut my third eye and turned back to the screen. "And let the third round begin!" He announced. The picture changed once more- this time to a beach environment. The song was "Say Yeah" by Morning Musume and was of an intermediate difficulty level. When we began there were a lot more arrows and I struggled to keep up. Eventually I got into the rhythm of the song and only missed two or three arrows. A single bead of sweat rolled down my forehead as the song ended. As the rankings came up on the screen, I grinned. Kurama and I were on top, then there was Kara and Corri. The others left their booths. I heard Yusuke curse angrily and I let out a low chuckle. "We are reaching our last two rounds. For the semi-finals, we'll be doing something special," Koenma explained. As he said this the walls on the booth fell to the ground and the screens sank down underneath the stage. The four of us now faced the crowd with just our dance pads beneath us. "For the finals and semi-final rounds you'll be looking at the big screen which will be split into different sections for each of you to follow. As you dance the camera will film your movements, replaying them on a screen behind you that faces the crowd," Koenma went on. As if to confirm this, a large screen dropped down in front of us and turned on. There were a few smaller screens on either side of the stage that showed us standing quietly. "Turn your dance pads around to face the big screen. We'll be starting soon," Koenma instructed as he walked out of sight. "Well, this should be fun," Corri exclaimed as she looked to Kurama and I. "Indeed," Kurama agreed. "Ha. Fun? Yes, it'll be fun to defeat you," I declared boldly. "Oh yeah? How about you put your money where your mouth is?" Kara challenged. "State your terms ningen," I hissed back. "If you lose to any one of us, you have to summon Kokuryuha and set it loose over the ocean. Then, you have to dance for us," Kara stated with a smile. "Is that all? What's in it for you? If I win, I want you to jump off this ship from the top deck," I declared. "All right. Do we have a deal?" She asked. "Yes, I will thoroughly enjoy this," I stated. Kara grinned and nodded while Kurama shook his head. "Hotheaded as always Hiei. I wouldn't expect anything less from a Koorime like you, but it will be your undoing," Kurama warned. "Ursai. I never asked you kitsune," I snapped. Before we could say anymore, the large screen in front of us changed. What we saw was a space scene with shooting stars. The difficulty was hard and the song was one I had never heard before. It was by the Spice Girls, "If you wanna be my lover". Suddenly, the music kicked on and the arrows came flying across the giant TV set. The four of us moved in unison to the beat and the pace was fast. Our eyes were glued to the screen, too busy to focus on eachother. Some parts of the song had more arrows than others. There was one certain part where I messed up and the screen screamed: 'poor' at me in bright letters. I grimaced and used my speed to get back into the rhythm. Suddenly, the level ended and Koenma returned to the stage. "In first place was Kurama, and second... Hiei," Koenma announced. I looked to Corri and Kara with a smug smile and they glared back as they left the dance floor. Their dance pads were quickly removed as Koenma went on. "We now have our two finalists. For the last round, we're having a special song played... enjoy," Koenma explained. I was curious to see what this special song was, but I never expected Kuwabara to come up with a microphone in hand. "Hey everybody. Koenma wanted me to announce the next song. It's called Kaze no Yasei no Kizu and will be sung by Kurama and Hiei while they dance... if they don't sing, points will be taken off their score and um... yeah... that's all," Kuwabara finished. Spoken like a true idiot. I thought sourly. I couldn't believe it- even when Kuwabara handed us the headsets, I couldn't grasp what was happening. The screen before us changed to show pictures of Kurama and I. The name of our song popped up with another difficulty level of hard. "You planned this, didn't you kitsune?" I hissed as I adjusted my microphone. Kurama smiled. Well, I would never back down from a challenge, especially since I had a bet to win. All I had to do was sing and dance better than Kurama...crap- this was going to be hard. "Begin!" Kuwabara announced as he moved off the stage. As the music began, Kurama and I moved to match the arrows. Our screen was split in two- one half for me, the other for Kurama. Strangely enough, our parts were different. In the beginning we moved together, but as I started to sing, his part slowed while mine became more complex. "Kaze ga hashiru, ore wo yobu mugon no harkike-n. Are wa sain kessen no aizu darou..." Miraculously, I didn't mess up once, then Kurama sang and my arrows lessoned. "Sou, kono inochi yori, aa omoi yume wo. Kanaeru tame no hi ga kita saa..." "Kokoro, mama ni tada fighting to dream. Dare ni mo jama sasenai. Unmei nado jibun de kimete yaru. Kaze no you ni tada shooting to dream. Kako no itami tachikeitte. Kono ted de ima mirai mo kimete yaru- get chance!" When we sang the chorus, both of us had to move quickly. Left, right, left right, up down- everything became a blur. Then, my verse came again, then Kurama, and so on. When our song came to a close, the crowd roared and our scores popped up. To my surprise, we had tied. Yet again, Kuwabara came up.  
  
"Because Kurama and Hiei tied, we're having another round. This time, I'm going to sing with them while they dance," Kuwabara announced with a grin. "Boo!" The crowd shouted through the screen behind us. I said nothing and smiled. "Shut up!" Kuwabara screamed as the screen background switched. It now had pictures of Kurama, Kuwabara and I all playing our instruments. It looked like they had been taken the night before. What song would they make us sing now? Then, I saw the song name along with the difficulty- Expert. My eyes widened. Anything but this song! But there was no way out now. We would have to sing Eye to Eye in front of everyone. Before I knew it, Kurama and I were dancing crazily while Kuwabara sang. 


	10. Part 10 Back to Japan

"Ano hi no, sora no iro, wasureya, shinai ze. Tagai ni, chikara tsukite, toarete mama miteta..." I grimaced as my turn came and I had to dance faster.  
  
"Tekagen nashi de naguri ate, hajimete wakaru no sa. Chachi na yuujou nanka yori mo. Shinjirareru mono!" During the chorus, both Kurama and I moved in unison. "Kotoba nado nakute mo eye to eye. Tsutawaru omoi wa. Tatakatta mono dake ga shitte iru..." Kurama's voice made me relax. "Kagegae no, nai kizuna sa- Shakin' Heart!" Then, Kuwabara sang again and we could catch our breath momentarily. "Toki ni wa, kizutsuite mo, itami wo kakushite. Otoko wa, tatakawanakya naranai koto mo aru!" I was able to glance at Kurama just before I sang my next verse. "Nagusameta nara tsuraku naru to. Wakatte, iru hazu sa. Damatta mama de atsui kimochi- uketomete kure yo!" "Kotoba nado nakute mo eye to eye. Yuuki ga, waku kara. Kanashimi no egao ni karerareru..." "Yasashisa no, hontou no imi... Shinin on!" We got through most of the song when finally, I heard the instrumental part come on. Kurama and I moved in unison, our legs and feet moving in all directions. Suddenly, the arrows slowed. Together, Kurama and I sang: "Kotoba nado nakute mo, eye to eye... "I can get you..." As I did my part though, I almost choked on my words. On the screen was now a picture of Kurama and I... kissing. My anger boiled to the highest ever, but I remembered the bet I had made at the last second. "You can get me," Kurama answered as he blushed. Together we continued to dance as the crowd cheered, laughed, and talked. Thankfully, the picture switched back to the original and I was able to focus again. I wasn't sure how many steps I had missed, but I didn't care. As soon as I finished this, whoever was responsible would die. Finally, the song ended and Koenma walked up. Without delay, I took out my katana and approached him. "Wait! Before you kill me, hear me out!" Koenma yelped. Stopping my attack at the last second, I allowed my blade to rest on Koenma's neck and glared at him. "It was a mistake Hiei! I didn't mean for that picture to show up. I was getting ready to delete it, but I probably put it into the wrong file by accident," Koenma said feverishly. "You better hope so. Someone has to pay. Explain to the ningens. Tell them the truth," I growled. "Yes, of course. Just don't do anything you'd regret. You're free now- it'd be a shame for me to have to put you on probation again," He reminded me. "Hn," I muttered as I sheathed my sword. Still furious, I stood beside Kurama and waited for the final verdict. After cleaning his throat, Koenma took the microphone from Kuwabara and he left the stage. Facing the crowd, Koenma stated: "The picture in the middle of song was created on photo shop, Hiei and Kurama are straight, and- Before Koenma got his words out, the crowd started to protest. Furious, I opened my Jagan eye. Clenching my right arm, I summoned up my spirit energy to lure the great dragon from the depths of the Spirit World. Before I finished though, Kurama nudged me. "Hiei, don't!" He pleaded. Angrily, I shut my third eye and crossed my arms. "Chikuso Kurama! Don't be a baka. Do you really want them to think that about us?" I demanded. "But it's incorrect- a rumor, nothing more. Don't get worked up over it or they'll continue saying it," Kurama instructed. "Hn," I spat. Clearing his throat again Koenma got the crowd's attention. "Anyway, allow me to announce the winner. The scores were 205 and 200. The champion of our dance competition is...Kurama!" Koenma exclaimed. The onlookers roared and although I had lost, I couldn't help but smile. Now I had to summon Kokuryuha... it wouldn't be my fault if the dragon accidentally attacked the ship... but then, I remembered my other part of the deal. I would have to dance.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"We'll be home soon... are you eager to return?" Kurama asked gently as the wind waved through his hair.  
"Any place in the Ningenkai would be better than this hellhole," I declared as I stared out over the waves. Kurama said nothing.  
It was close to midnight, yet the deck was lit up. A few couples walked along the railing, talking quietly. Kurama and I were waiting for Corri and Kara to show up. I was not the type to back down from a bet- no matter how ridiculous. Finally, I saw the girls approaching us from afar. Kurama and I turned to face them. They were still dressed in their dance clothes- baggy pants and T-shirts.  
"Konbanwa Hiei-kun," Corri greeted with a smile.  
"Hey Hiei, ready to dance?" Kara asked with a gleam in her eye.  
"Yes, just as I said, but don't boast onna. You didn't make it to the last around," I reminded her sharply. Kara and Corri were silent as I opened my Jagan eye. Turning away from them, I flexed my right hand and stretched it out in front of me. I watched quietly as dark energy flowed out of my body and to my fingertips. Pushing out my ki, I waited patiently for the Dragon of the Darkness Flame to appear. It knew me well and would come when I lured it appropriately. Suddenly, I felt a great power coming at me from somewhere over the ocen... and then, I saw it- the ferocious dragon known throughout the Reikai- Kokuryuha. Corri and Kara gasped and Kurama stood calmly beside me. Finally, I cut off my energy and let Kokuryuha circle the cruise ship. Despite my desire to release it fully, if I permitted it to do so, I would be held responsibly for the deaths of ningens and imprisoned once more. So, I held it off with the little energy that I had left, letting it know not to come any nearer. "All right, now I suppose you want me to dance," I said as I turned to face the girls. Deciding just to get it over with I put my arms up and moved my body to a beat in my head. After I had danced for a few minutes, I stopped and looked to them. "There, I've done as you said. Now, go before I kill you," I mumbled. Exchanging glances, Kara and Corri smiled and giggled. Without another word they left, laughing loudly. "Why are those bakas so amused?" I asked suspiciously. I looked to Kurama who smiled and looked away. "Nanda?" I questioned, seeing that he was about to laugh as well. "Um, Hiei... your fly is down," Kurama whispered. "Huh?" I asked perplexed. Silently, Kurama pointed down at my pants. I looked a blushed crimson. While Kurama looked away, I zipped it up. It seemed that I was the baka of the day. I hated this... Once Kokuryuha ran out of steam and returned to the Reikai, Kurama and I went back to our rooms. I was about to enter mine when he stopped me. "Come inside Hiei- Yusuke and Kuwabara are sharing their quarters again," Kurama explained. "Why the change of plans?" I asked darkly. "There are no strings attached, I assure you. I just thought that'd you'd like a break from the idiocy considering it's the last night of the cruise," Kurama answered with a small laugh. "Fine," I sighed. Without another word I followed Kurama back into our room and sat down wearily on my bed. Kurama went quietly into the bathroom to get changed and ready for bed. I merely kicked off my shoes and laid back. It was then that I realized I never got my revenge on Yusuke for giving me that chocolate... I was extremely tired. It seemed that the energy I had received from the desserts was finally starting to wear off. I never knew dancing could take so much out of you. Plus, I had summoned the Dragon of the Darkness Flame. I would have to wait awhile before my strength returned. I closed my eyes and opened them a moment later to see Kurama walking pass me. I had to blink twice though, for I swore he now had fox ears and a tail. I kept blinking, but they never disappeared. Slowly, his hair turned silver and he looked at me with his golden eyes. "Youko- what are you doing here? How did you get free of Shuuichi?" I questioned surprised. "That's for me to know and you to find out Hiei. For now, I would like some freedom. Is there anything valuable around? I feel up for a challenge," Youko exclaimed, his eyes shining mischievously. "Ha. There's nothing of worth on this ship. Just a bunch of ningens," I replied sourly. At this, Youko Kurama frowned. "Hm. I see. Well then, I guess I will just have to create some fun... how about coming along Hiei. Causing some mischief could do us good," He persuaded with a sly smile. I stared at Youko for a while- the truest expression of Kurama's power. Well, why not? It was the last night after all. Might as well have some fun.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner," I whispered as I smirked in the darkness.  
"Well, we can't all be handsome and intelligent, now can we?" Youko teased as he took a rose out from inside his hair. With a flick of his wrist it changed into his deadly Rose Whip. Carefully, he began slicing through the metal beneath us, leaving small dents where he hit. Finally, he had made a nice sized scar and turned to me. "All right Hiei, go on. If my estimations are correct we should make it just as the boat goes under," Youko exclaimed. I nodded, and taking a deep breath, shoved my katana firmly through the hull of the ship. Instantly, water began spilling inside.  
"Hm, strange Hiei. It seems that we have a leak. Someone must alert Koenma," Youko stated with a grin.  
"Yes, what a shame it would be if all of these ningens perished," I added with a smile. Laughing maniacally, we walked back to the top deck, then made our way to Koenma's quarters. Quietly, we knocked on the door. A few minutes later, we heard a rustling as Koenma opened the door in his pajamas.  
"Oh, Hiei- Youko?!" Koenma demanded, his pacifier falling out of his mouth in shock.  
"Yes, it is I... we just thought you'd like to know... your ship is sinking," Youko explained calmly.  
"Nani?!" Koenma asked in alarm.  
"Yes, there's quite a hole on the bottom floor... it may be a few hours before we go under, but I suggest you wake everyone up," I added.  
"No! This can't be happening! Not my precious boat. Ogre! Wake up! We need to get Botan! It's an emergency!" Koenma screamed as he retreated back into his room. Youko and I exchanged glances before grinning and walking away.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Within thirty minutes the word had spread that we were sinking. Youko and I watched from the shadows as the scenario unfolded. Frantically, humans crowded around the rails, waiting for instructions and lifeboats. Just as they began to evacuate and the ground started to tilt beneath us, the lights of Nihongo came into view. I breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, we had returned to Japan. "It seems I must leave- my power is waning," Youko announced as he looked to me.  
"Pity. I was just becoming accustomed to your form. I'll wait for the day where you will no longer need that human body," I exclaimed. Youko nodded, a smile of gratitude on his lips.  
"And then we will truly be the greatest demon pair. How about it- you and I, kings of the Reikai? We'll wreak havoc together and become legends," Youko said with a laugh.  
"Something to look forward to," I agreed. With that, I watched as Youko quickly faded. His silver hair became crimson, and his ears sank down into his head. Finally, his tail disappeared and his former clothes returned. Seconds later, I was face to face with Shuuichi Kurama. He stared at me questioningly with his green eyes and then looked away. "Don't pretend to be sorry for them. You know you wanted to do something audacious or else your true self would have never shown through," I chided. Kurama looked to me and smiled softly.  
"Come Hiei, we should probably find the others," Kurama said, choosing not to answer my statement. Knowing not to push him, I willingly followed the kitsune to the top deck where people were feverishly getting into lifeboats. Among the mayhem we were able to spot Yukina, Keiko, Shizuru, Yusuke, and Kuwabara. It seemed like we were all present. Waiting patiently, we finally got our turn and all crowded into one of the small blow-up vessels.  
"What a great way to end a vacation," Yusuke spat sarcastically. Kurama and I didn't reply as the others commented.  
"I know! Man! It's cold out here. Why did the boat have to sink?" Kuwabara moaned.  
"Well, at least it didn't sink out in the middle of the ocean," Shizuru pointed out.  
"Yeah," Keiko agreed.  
"I had fun, but where were you the whole time Shizuru?" Yukina asked curiously.  
"Getting drunk and picking up guys of course! How else would I spend a cruise?" Shizuru answered with a bit of sarcasm in her voice. Yukina just smiled. As the others went on talking, I stared out over the waves, glad to know our journey had come to an end. When we finally got to the port, the sun was just starting to rise. I soon heard that no one had died, which caused me both relief and disappointment. And then, we were back on dry land. I couldn't express in words how I felt. I never thought that returning to Japan could make me feel happy.  
Later on we returned to our homes. I went to Kurama's house, unsure of where to go. We walked in the park, viewing the cherry blossoms. As we strolled down the path, Kurama started to sing.  
"I'm sailing away, set an open course for the virgin sea  
  
I've got to be free, free to face the life that's ahead of me  
  
On board I'm the captain, so climb aboard  
  
We'll search for tomorrow on every shore  
  
And I'll try, oh Lord, I'll try to carry on  
I look to the sea, reflections in the waves spark my memory  
  
Some happy, some sad  
  
I think of childhood friends and the dreams we had  
  
We live happily forever so the story goes  
  
But somehow we missed out on that pot of gold  
  
But we'll try best that we can to carry on  
A gathering of angels appeared above my head  
  
They sang to me this song of hope and this is what they said  
  
They said, come sail away, come sail away  
  
Come sail away with me  
  
Come sail away, come sail away  
  
Come sail away with me  
I thought that they were angels but to my surprise  
  
They climbed aboard their starship and headed for the skies  
  
Singing, come sail away, come sail away  
  
Come sail away with me  
  
Come sail away, come sail away  
  
Come sail away with me..."  
  
"What's that?" I asked surprised. "It's an English song. It reminded me of our cruise... Hiei, did you enjoy it at all?" Kurama wondered. I thought long and hard, considering everything that had happened. Most of it was embarrassing and utterly idiotic. If I had not been bribed half the time, I probably wouldn't have done any of it... but... it was an experience I wouldn't soon forget. "I suppose... but Kurama..." "Yes Hiei?" Kurama responded attentively. "Next time, can I pick the vacation?" I asked. "Sure Hiei," Kurama agreed with a laugh. "All right... can you teach me that song?" I questioned next. "Hm? Oh, Come Sail Away? Sure," He answered. And together, we walked down the sidewalk, under the cherry blossoms. Even though I received stares, I didn't care... because I was back on land with my favorite companion.  
"I'm sailing away, set an open course for the virgin sea  
  
I've got to be free, free to face the life that's ahead of me  
  
On board I'm the captain, so climb aboard  
  
We'll search for tomorrow on every shore  
  
And I'll try, oh Lord, I'll try to carry on  
I look to the sea, reflections in the waves spark my memory  
  
Some happy, some sad  
  
I think of childhood friends and the dreams we had  
  
We live happily forever so the story goes  
  
But somehow we missed out on that pot of gold  
  
But we'll try best that we can to carry on  
A gathering of angels appeared above my head  
  
They sang to me this song of hope and this is what they said  
  
They said, come sail away, come sail away  
  
Come sail away with me  
  
Come sail away, come sail away  
  
Come sail away with me  
I thought that they were angels but to my surprise  
  
They climbed aboard their starship and headed for the skies  
  
Singing, come sail away, come sail away  
  
Come sail away with me  
  
Come sail away, come sail away  
  
Come sail away with me..." When we finished singing, I couldn't help but laugh. It felt good to be home.  
  
* * * * *  
~Author's Note~  
Well, there you go- that's my Hiei fanfic! The only one I've written completely solo, and as you can tell, I like writing long stories. On paper this story was over 100 pages... college ruled paper! But I thoroughly enjoyed it and I hope you did too.  
Let me get one thing straight, just so you know, I am a firm believer that both Kurama and Hiei are straight- more Hiei than Kurama. Although I portrayed them as somewhat yaoi, that's not what I believe. I just find those sort of situations funny. Please read and review, I love hearing your thoughts. If you have any ideas for stories, please send them to me! I love writing and I'm open to suggestions.  
Okay, another thing. I used a lot of Japanese words in here, and you may be wondering what some of them mean... well, here you go!  
  
Arigato(u): Thank you Arigato(u) Gozaimasu: Thank you very much Baka: Idiot Chikus(h)o: Damn it Hai: Yes Iie: No Katana: Japanese Sword Ki: Energy Kistune: Fox Kokuryuha: Dragon of the Darkness Flame Kustare: Asshole Nani: What Nanda: What is it Ningen: Human Ningenkai: Human World Onegai: Please Onna: Woman Reikei: Spirit World Yaro: Bastard Youkai: Demon  
  
Well, that's all for now. Thanks for reading! 


	11. Extra: Let's Sail Away Uncut

Let's Sail Away  
By Corri-chan  
  
Sequel to: When Animals Attack  
  
Prologue  
  
The Yu Yu Hakusho gang has gotten used to their little outings. After an  
amusement park though, as well as a zoo, where is there to go? It's springtime in Japan, and the Cherry Blossoms are blooming. The Yu Yu Gang is enjoying spring break, but it's too quiet in their small neighborhood. Suddenly, lo and behold, Kurama suggests another vacation idea... one that  
doesn't seem so bad!  
  
"Let's sail away," Kurama joked with a smile. So, to the cruise ship they  
go!  
  
But things seem to be more complicated than they appear. After a run in with some familiar friends, Hiei and the others get into trouble. Maybe a  
cruise wasn't such a good idea after all.  
  
Corri-chan – Hiei  
  
I watched quietly as Kurama talked to the human man. Kurama smiled as he gave him money in exchange for two onigiris (rice balls). Then, bowing politely, Kurama turned and walked back to my side. Getting up from the bench, I began to walk with him through the park. Kurama handed me one of the rice balls as he bit into his. We walked and ate in silence while observing the large Cherry Blossom trees.  
Personally, I hadn't wanted to go out. Being around so many ningens made me irritated... but there was something about the Cherry Blossom trees that could calm your soul. Because of this, I never objected when Kurama asked me to come with him to the park.  
Suddenly, Kurama stopped in front of one of the many trees. I stopped and looked at him inquisitively. The kitsune youkai closed his eyes and sighed heavily.  
"What is it Kurama?" I asked with an air of impatience in my voice. Sometimes I just couldn't understand him. How could a demon of his caliber be so carefree? Just then, Kurama's eyes shot open and he turned to me with a smile.  
"Let's sail away!" He exclaimed joyously. My eyes narrowed as I hissed:  
"Nani?" Kurama's smile only widened.  
"I mean, let's go on a cruise! Let's go sail out to sea where no one can touch us and just enjoy ourselves!" He said excitedly.  
"Don't be an ass Kurama," I muttered as I turned and began to walk away. A few seconds later, Kurama hurried back to my side.  
"Hiei, I'm serious! Please, let's go on a cruise. Not a cruise like the one at the Dark Tournament- a real one!" He pleaded. I wanted to say: "I'm serious too," but instead, I looked at him. His eyes were wide and pleading. I let out a sigh.  
"What the hell. Let's go," I agreed. Kurama's smile instantly returned.  
"Arigatou. I'm sure we'll have a great time," He promised. I highly doubted this, but said nothing. Hadn't I promised myself I wouldn't be dragged into another of Kurama's adventures? Every time I went somewhere with him, something strange happened. Well, at least those idiots wouldn't be coming along... I specifically thought of Kuwabara and grinned. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad...  
  
* * * * *  
"Damn you Kurama!" I yelled the next day.  
"Now, calm down Hiei," Kurama said nervously. But I had had enough.  
"Iie- N-O- No! I am not going if they're coming along," I said stubbornly. It seemed that I hadn't been the only one invited on this cruise vacation- Yusuke, Keiko, Yukina, Botan, Shizuru, and yes, even Kuwabara, had all been invited as well. Kurama looked at me helplessly, but I remained firm. "I will not spend one night with that yaro," I decided aloud, referring to Kuwabara.  
"But Hiei, Yukina-chan will be there as well," Kurama reminded me. I twitched angrily at this and shouted:  
"Stop trying to convince me kitsune! I'm not being dragged into this no matter what you say!" Kurama sighed heavily.  
"And here I thought that being in completely separate classes that you'd still want to come! Can you bear being on the same ship with them- even if they're three decks below us?" Kurama asked in a sorrowful tone. Three decks below? They were in the lowest class, while we were in the highest? Slowly, I looked into Kurama's bright green eyes. I searched them thoroughly, and he never blinked. Well... that was a lot of wood between them and me. Perhaps I could deal with it for a little while.  
"Fine. But if they bother me in the slightest way, you shall be the one to pay," I vowed. Kurama smiled thankfully.  
"Arigatou gozaimasu Hiei! I knew you'd come around," He said cheerfully. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Why did I feel like I'd regret this?  
  
* * * * *  
  
"I hate you," I seethed as I listened to the others laugh and talk behind us.  
"How was I supposed to know they changed their minds at the last second and bought first class tickets?" Kurama asked weakly.  
"Because you know everything," I spat sarcastically.  
"Hardly Hiei- no one in the world knows one millionth of anything," Kurama replied. I glared at him with all my anger.  
"Don't push it Kurama- I'm about ready to kill you," I explained. Kurama looked at me with such despair that I had to turn away. He was so... I couldn't even find the words! Now I would have to spend a whole week next- door to Yusuke and the others. I would have to deal with Kuwabara drooling over my innocent sister as well. If I didn't snap, it would be a miracle in itself. Just listening to Kuwabara made my whole body itch for a fight. To try and keep my cool, I focused on the ship.  
I had to say- I was impressed. The first class had all hard wood floors on deck, polished banisters, and a new paint job. We had recently set sail, and I could see Japan growing smaller and smaller behind us. The crystal clear water sparkled in the sunlight, and in a strange way, reminded me of Yukina... so pure and beautiful.  
"Hiei, how are you?" Someone asked, breaking me out of my thoughts. Surprised, I turned to look at my sister Yukina. The others had stopped in front of three wooden doors- our assigned quarters.  
"Fine," I replied quickly. "Why do you ask?" I went on. Yukina just smiled.  
"I haven't seen you in a while. I was worried about you," She explained. I tried to hide my surprise by nodding. She and Kurama were alike in the way they were both compassionate and kind. In a way, I envied their free spirits. I knew I could never be like that. I was surprised to see Yukina join the other girls in one room as Kuwabara and Yusuke entered another. Kurama opened the last door before turning to me.  
"This is our room," He explained as I entered the quarters after him. I studied the room in approval. The finest of furniture dotted the room and chandeliers lighted it. On the far wall was a window showing the open sea, and two large beds with silk sheets. The bathroom, which I soon saw, was created out of marble and had both a hot tub and shower. The mini kitchen had all the latest appliances and hard wood floors. Hanging on the wall, was a menu for room service and a list of events going on during the cruise.  
"Hn," I muttered thoughtfully.  
"Do you like it?" Kurama asked as he came up behind me.  
"It's suitable," I answered. Kurama nodded.  
"I'm glad you like it," Kurama said happily. I tried to hide the small smile on my lips. There was no hiding from Kurama. I guess that was one of the reasons why I had stayed with him so long. He understood me and could fight just as well... there was no other demon like him.  
I stared at Kurama. Would it kill me to show my feelings? At least... to him? I knew it would be hard, but I felt like I had to try. Taking a deep breath I said: "It's perfect. Good job Kurama." Immediately, Kurama's eyes widened in surprise. He blinked a few times before placing his hand on my forehead.  
"Hiei, are you sick?" He asked incredulously. Shutting my eyes, I clenched my teeth and swiped his hand away.  
"Forget it," I growled in embarrassment. Reopening my eyes, I stormed out of the room and out the door to the open deck. Leaning over the rail, I stared down at the crashing waves. Stupid. That's what it was. Stupid emotions.  
"Hiei-kun?!" A surprised voice asked. With my hand reaching for my hidden katana, I whirled around. When I saw who it was though, my eyes widened and my hand dropped back down to my side.  
"Inu-ko?" I questioned. Great- now I would have to deal with more annoying people. Her brown eyes watered as she exclaimed:  
"You remember me?" Softening slightly, I retorted:  
"Yes, you should feel honored." Wiping her eyes, Inu-ko giggled. Awkwardly, I looked at her. She was almost a head taller than I was and her short hair had grown further past her shoulders. She was dressed in a black bikini, but had a see-through skirt that covered her legs. Her whole body was tanned, giving her a Hispanic look.  
"What are you doing here?" She asked curiously.  
"Kurama dragged me," I explained curtly. Blushing slightly, she said:  
"Tomoyo-chan and Kara-chan dragged me here too." For a while, we both looked over the water at the setting sun. I was surprised that Kurama hadn't come after me, but he always knew when I needed my space. Finally, Corri announced: "Well, I have to go eat dinner with my friends in the dining room... ja ne Hiei-kun."  
I watched her go before turning back to the water. Perhaps I would tell Kurama that our fans were here. He'd insist that we say hello... at least then I'd have an excuse to see them.  
The three girls amused me. They weren't as annoying as Kuwabara, Yusuke, and Botan. It was strange, but the attention Kurama and I received from them was uplifting. I shook my head. Maybe I had been breathing in too much sea air. Slowly, I made my way back to my quarters and opened the door.  
"Kurama?" I questioned cautiously. The cabin was quiet... too quiet. Shutting the door behind me, I drew my sword and scanned the area. "Oi- Kurama!" I said a little louder. Suddenly, the sound of running water filled my ears. Curiously, I made my way towards the bathroom. The door was slightly ajar and light was pouring out. Narrowing my eyes, I tightened the grip on my sword, and without a second thought, ran inside.  
I skidded to a halt though when I saw Kurama sitting in a sea of bubbles inside the hot tub- completely naked. He was in the process of shampooing his red hair when he turned and saw me. His face became the color of a tomato- I wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment, anger, or both. Sinking lower into the tub he screamed:  
"Hiei, you bastard! Learn to knock!" Surprised to have been cursed at by Kurama of all people, I only blinked. Reddening even more, Kurama took a bar of soap and threw it at my head. I dodged speedily before turning and running back into the main room. A moment later, the bathroom door slammed shut and I could hear it lock.  
"Kusotare," I muttered angrily. How dare he curse at me? He was the one who hadn't answered! I would get him back soon enough... Now in a bad mood, and unwilling to face Kurama, I decided to go down to the dining hall and have something to eat. Maybe if I were lucky, I would be able to find Inu-ko and the others. Quickly checking a map next to the menu on the wall, I discovered where the food was being served and walked out the door. As I was turning a corner though, I ran into someone.  
"Watch it," I growled, but when I saw it was Yukina, I immediately felt ashamed.  
"I'm so sorry Hiei, please forgive me," She begged.  
"No, it's all right. I thought you were someone else," I assured her quickly. Yukina just nodded and smiled, which made me feel worse. Deciding to make it up to her, I asked:  
"Would you like to come to dinner with me?" Immediately, my sister's eyes lit up.  
"That would be wonderful- thanks!" I just shrugged.  
"It's no big deal. I was just wondering because I thought you might be hungry," I lied. Yukina shook her head in understanding, and together, we began to walk in the direction of the dining room.  
When Yukina and I finally entered the dining room, I had to stop and take a deep breath. Everything was white and shimmered in the light of the chandeliers. The glass tables, fine silverware, and even the chairs all seemed to shine. Amongst all of it, I felt my black clothes stand out like a sore thumb. Waiters dressed in white tuxedos carted around food to different tables, and on a stage in the center of the room, an orchestra was playing. I almost turned and left, but before I could, Yukina took my hand and led me to an empty table.  
Calmly, I took a seat, meeting the stares I received with a cold glare. When people finally turned back to their conversations, I allowed myself to relax slightly. Yukina busied herself with looking at the menu, but I didn't study it right away. Slowly, I scanned the room for any familiar faces... but the room was so large that it was impossible to see everything with normal vision. Making sure nobody was watching, I opened my Jagan eye and looked through my headband to the far side of the dining hall. Just like I had suspected, Inu-ko, Tomoyo, and Kara were there eating- all dressed in beautiful evening gowns.  
I began to read their lips, but before I could understand their conversation, someone nudged me and my eye snapped shut. "What?!" I asked a little too loudly. I turned to find my startled sister with a waiter at her side. The music had stopped and everybody was staring at me. Fuming, I looked at Yukina.  
"Hiei, are you ready to order?" She asked gently.  
Smiling, the waiter said: "Perhaps the young sir would prefer the kid's menu?" Knowing instantly that he was referring to my height I retorted:  
"No, I'm quite fine with eating from the adult menu, and unless you want to be eating those words, I suggest you bring the best that you have and fast." Daunted by my smooth come back, the waiter bowed hastily and walked away. The music resumed and conversation filled the air once again. Seeing that the waiter had left sake, I poured myself a glass and drank deeply. Yukina just smiled and turned to the stage.  
After I had finished three small cups, a different waiter returned with our food. I smiled smugly- coward. Just as Yukina and I started to eat, a hush fell over the crowd. Curiously, we both turned our attention to the stage, which was now fully lit and devoid of any people. I couldn't believe my eyes when a man with wavy brown hair and 'Jr.' written on his forehead stepped up to the microphone. Like usual, he was sucking on his blue pacifier. What was he doing here?  
"Hello everyone, and welcome to the deluxe, Yu Yu Hakusho cruise line! This is a ship designed to advertise and support Yu Yu Hakusho as well as provide more money to build on to my fabulous castle in Spirit World. I thank you all for coming to see me, the almighty Koenma. The next few nights will be filled with entertainment provided by none other than the Yu Yu Hakusho cast themselves!" He exclaimed. After he said this, a spotlight zoomed in on my table and murmurs broke out through the crowd.  
"Hiei, what's going on?" Yukina questioned nervously. I wasn't sure how to answer, so I didn't reply. Thankfully, the spotlight soon switched to another table. My mouth dropped open in surprise when I saw it was now hovering above Yusuke, Keiko, Botan, Kuwabara, and Shizuru. The only one missing was-  
"Kurama, perfect timing," Koenma stated with glee. The light immediately turned to the doorway where Kurama stood, his hair still wet from his bath. He blushed as girls called out to him, offering him their services and flirting shamelessly. I could hear Tomoyo screaming at them to leave him alone, but her shouts were soon drowned out by the other guests.  
"What's the meaning of this Koenma?" Kurama asked as he began to walk towards the stage.  
"Yes, we're dying to hear an explanation," I added as I got to my feet. I was still mad at Kurama, but right now, Koenma was my target. A second later, I was by Kurama's side.  
"When you asked me to invite all of the others because of the free tickets you had given me, you never mentioned anything about us performing," Kurama said crossly. At this, I stopped and turned to Kurama.  
"You knew about this all along? You knew we were all invited? You knew we'd all be together in first class?!" I raged in disbelief. Kurama glanced at me apologetically, but I glared back. As soon as we got out of this, we would be having a long... 'talk'.  
"Now, now boys, we must do our best for the fans!" Koenma said as he took a slow step back.  
"Yeah right- you just want to use us!" Yusuke yelled angrily. He too got to his feet and joined us. The last to stand, was Kuwabara.  
"Urameshi is right! We aren't your private show dogs! We're people!" He yelled. The four of us stood together, united in our rage towards Koenma.  
"This is low, even for you Koenma," Botan agreed with a sigh. Koenma seemed to give up.  
"Come on you guys- I'll make it up to you! If you do what I want for just a week, then you can have one wish. I'll give you anything you want!" Koenma promised. This proposition was appealing, but before I agreed, I looked to Kurama. He appeared deep in thought. Finally he said:  
"All right. We'll do what you wish." Immediately, the guests began to cheer in approval. At least the fans weren't all crazy teenage girls like our other followers. Still, what did Koenma have planned for us?  
  
* * * * *  
  
"You want us to dress in drag and dance?!" Yusuke demanded in disbelief. I stared at Koenma incredulously.  
The four of us had gone behind the stage into Koenma's office where he promptly returned to his toddler form. There, he had began to explain his plans for the night... the first being a dance party. We would be the guests of honor, but for some reason, Koenma proposed that we should dress as girls. I laughed silently. Kurama had a hard time getting me to wear hippie clothes! What made Koenma think I'd dress as a girl? The others were just as enraged, but only Yusuke and Kuwabara cared to show it. They shouted insult after insult, venting all their frustration on Koenma. Kurama and I merely watched in silent irritation.  
"Fine, fine! But at least do Karaoke!" Koenma pleaded. The room fell silent as the four of us all exchanged glances. Karaoke?  
"Well, it can't be worst than having to sing in the amusement park..." Kurama trailed.  
"Or the zoo," Kuwabara reminded us. They did have a point. And if all of us were doing it together... what the hell? Might as well get it over with! Kurama looked to me, and I nodded slowly.  
"All right," Kurama agreed. Yusuke and Kuwabara shook their heads. Finally, Yusuke said:  
"If fox boy is okay with it, then I'm in. What about you Kuwabara- Hiei?"  
"Let's just get it over with. The sooner we do this, the sooner we get our wish," I said darkly. Koenma gulped as I looked straight at him.  
"Fine then- let's go! Shorty agrees, so I'm definitely in," Kuwabara declared. Koenma breathed a sigh of relief.  
"Good. Now all you have to do is pick out your costumes while I talk to the crowd. Go in the back room, okay? Chow!" Koenma bade. Before any of us could object, Koenma turned into his older form and ran out of the office, slamming the door behind him.  
"Man, that toddler gets on my nerves! I just don't see why he's the leader of Spirit World!" Yusuke exclaimed angrily.  
"I know how you feel, but someone has to rule while King Enma is away," Kurama said softly. Yusuke rolled his eyes.  
"Yeah, I guess so," He replied, still unconvinced.  
"Let's stop wasting time- come on," Kuwabara urged as he opened the door Koenma had motioned to. With a sigh, the rest of us followed. As we walked into the room, I whispered to Kurama:  
"I'm only wearing black- I refuse to look like a hippie again." Kurama laughed gently and nodded.  
"Wow!" Kuwabara exclaimed, causing us all to turn to him. "Look at all this stuff!" He went on. All of our mouths dropped open in amazement. We were all standing in the middle of a giant closet, filled with row upon row of clothes. On the right, was women's apparel, and on the left, there were men's garments. Instantly, Kuwabara and Yusuke began looking through the first few racks while Kurama and I made our way to the back rows.  
Together, we began thumbing through the outfits. There were many different styles- street, royal, punk, prep, old fashioned- everything you could imagine, from cheap to priceless. Where had Koenma gotten all of these clothes?  
"Oh, Hiei! I think I found you the perfect outfit!" Kurama announced excitedly. I whirled around to face Kurama, ready to yell and protest if need be, but to my surprise, he was holding something that I actually liked. It was different from my regular clothes, but it was still the same color scheme. The pants seemed tight, but they were leather, so that was expected. Along with the pants was a matching vest and long sleeved black shirt. Chains hung from the pockets, and there was even a place to put a sword sheath. I stared at Kurama, amazed that he had found something that fit my interests. Seeing my surprise, he handed it to me and smiled.  
"Glad you like it. Now, I really must find something for myself..." He trailed. With that, he proceeded to the next row, leaving me with the clothes in my hands. I looked down at them curiously, wondering where I should get changed. Finally, I saw a small door labeled: "Dressing Room". Leaving Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama, I turned the knob and went inside.  
In the room I found tables with makeup piled upon them as well as many mirrors of different sizes. Standing behind the door in case anyone decided to come in, I stripped off my clothes and put on the costume. Once I had finished, I looked in one of the full-length mirrors. The clothes fit perfectly, which was surprising. I turned in every direction, inspecting myself at all angles. Then secretly, I smiled.  
Humming a song I knew, I spun in a circle and began to dance. I moved my arms and hips, and almost started to sing when I suddenly heard the door swing open. I froze with my hands above my head and turned to see who it was.  
"Kurama you yaro! Learn to knock," I growled, throwing his words back at him. Kurama frowned as he threw the clothes he was holding on to a nearby chair. Placing his hands on his hips, he looked to me in disapproval.  
"And what were you doing that was so private?" He demanded.  
"Fixing my hair," I murmured lamely as I brought my hands down to rake through my long black strands. Kurama laughed loudly.  
"Oh Hiei, you're so strange," He teased. I fumed silently, letting my hands fall back down to my side. Smiling gently, Kurama said: "You look good in that." I turned away, determined not to let Kurama know I was pleased. Kurama laughed again. "Do you mind stepping outside? I'm going to get dressed now," He said.  
"Hn," I replied as I made my way to the door. I could feel Kurama watching me, but I ignored his gaze. Once I had left the room, I closed the door firmly behind me and leaned against the wall. I watched quietly for a few minutes before Kurama reemerged. I turned to him and couldn't believe what I saw.  
Kurama was dressed in a flowing red shirt with long poofy sleeves, and on the back was the image of a flowering rose. It was open in the middle, revealing his muscular chest. The pants he wore were a tight black material, and had emeralds going down the side. On the back pocket was a white fox.  
"Ha. Now you look like the hippie. Are those really men's clothes Kurama?" I asked with a short laugh. Kurama blushed slightly before answering.  
"Actually, the pants are women's, but all of the pants I saw were too baggy or the wrong color," He admitted. I shook my head.  
"You're enjoying this, aren't you kitsune?" I assumed. Kurama just looked at me with a twinkle in his eye. I took that as a yes.  
Just then, Yusuke and Kuwabara walked up, costumes in hand. The looked at us, exchanged glances, and broke out laughing.  
"Nani?" I demanded irritably.  
"Nothing. It's just that you two look like a couple of guys from a boy band. Trying to impress the ladies?" Yusuke exclaimed as he nudged me in the ribs.  
"Hn. Don't be a fool. I would never do this if it weren't for Koenma," I reminded him coldly.  
"Maybe so, but you look pretty funny," Kuwabara chuckled. I glared at him while wearing a grim smile.  
"Even if I do, you don't need any help. You might as well go out as you are," I answered coolly.  
"What did you say shorty?!" Kuwabara demanded. Before I could answer though, Yusuke pushed Kuwabara into the dressing room and went in after him. Grinning at us he said:  
"Give us a minute and we'll be right out." Kurama and I nodded and smiled while listening to Kuwabara's muffled protests. Yusuke shut the door and we continued to wait. After a few minutes had passed, the two stepped out and we both looked to them curiously.  
Yusuke hadn't changed much. He still wore baggy pants, but this time, he was dressed in white. He had a matching jacket on, and a black muscle shirt underneath that. Kuwabara looked strange as usual. He wore blue jeans, a white shirt with cut off sleeves, and a Jean jacket with all sorts of logos sewn on the front. Finally, we were all ready.  
Just then, someone else stepped into the room- Botan. She was dressed in her familiar pink kimono and greeted us with a smile.  
"Hello boys! Are you ready? Everyone's waiting," She explained. In unison, we looked to one another and nodded.  
"Show us the way Botan," Yusuke ordered. Giggling girlishly as she scanned us from head to toe, Botan motioned for us to follow her as she exited the giant closet. Moments later, we were back on the stage, and it seemed like word of our performance had spread, because the room was packed.  
A karaoke machine had been set out along with four microphones. The girls, along with Koenma were sitting at the table closest to the stage.  
"Well... who wants to go first?" Yusuke wondered. We all stood in silence for a moment, listening to the excited crowd. Suddenly, a girl screamed:  
"Kurama! Kurama, we love you!" Grinning, Yusuke pushed Kurama forward and said:  
"You heard them fox boy! They're calling for you!" Smiling sheepishly, Kurama nodded and stepped up to the microphone. Practically all of the girls screamed in delight. Kurama waved as cameras went off and he began thumbing through the song selection. Finally, he found one and pushed a button to start the music. It appeared he had chosen an English selection. I listened with interest to the words he sang.  
"On that sunny day  
Didn't know I'd meet  
Such a beautiful girl  
Walking down the street  
Seen those bright brown eyes  
With tears coming down  
She deserves a crown  
But where is it now  
Mamma listen  
  
Senorita, I feel for you  
You deal with things, that you don't have to  
He doesn't love ya, I can tell by his charm  
But you could feel this real love  
If you just lay in my...  
  
Running fast in my mind  
Girl won't you slow it down  
If we carry on this way  
This thing might leave the ground  
How would you like to fly?  
Does summer queen you right?  
But you still deserve a crown  
Well hasn't it been found?  
Mamma listen  
  
Senorita, I feel for you  
(Feel for you)  
You deal with things, that you don't have to  
(No, no)  
He doesn't love ya, I can tell by his charm  
(He don't love ya baby)  
But you could feel this real love  
(Feel it)  
If you just lay in my...  
  
Ah, ah, arms...  
(Won't you lay in my)  
Ah, ah, arms...  
(Mama lay in my)  
Ah, ah, arms...  
(Baby won't you lay in my)  
Ah, ah, arms...  
  
When I look into your eyes  
I see something that money can't buy  
And I know if you give us a try  
I'll work hard for you girl  
And no longer will you ever have to cry  
  
Senorita, I feel for you  
You deal with things, that you don't have to  
(Deal with things you don't have to)  
He doesn't love ya, I can tell by his charm  
(No, no)  
But you could feel this real love  
(Feel it)  
If you just lay in my...  
  
Ah, ah, arms...  
(Whoa)  
Ah, ah, arms...  
(My baby)  
Ah, ah, arms...  
(Oooh, yea)  
Ah, ah, arms...  
  
When I look into your eyes  
I see something that money can't buy  
And I know if you give us a try  
I'll work hard for you girl  
You won't ever cry  
  
Now listen  
I wanna try some right now  
See they don't do this anymore  
I'ma sing something  
And I want the guys to sing with me  
They go  
"It feels like something's heating up, can I leave with you?"  
And then the ladies go  
"I don't know what I'm thinking bout, really leaving with you"  
  
Guys sing  
It feels like something's heating up, can I leave with you?  
And ladies  
I don't know what I'm thinking bout, really leaving with you  
Feels good don't it, come on  
It feels like something's heating up, can I leave with you?  
Yea, ladies  
I don't know what I'm thinking bout, really leaving with you  
Show the good to me  
  
Sing it one more time  
It feels like something's heating up, can I leave with you?  
Ladies  
I don't know what I'm thinking bout, really leaving with you  
Yea, yea..  
It feels like something's heating up, can I leave with you?  
Ladies  
I don't know what I'm thinking bout, really leaving with you  
  
Gentlemen, good night  
Ladies, good morning  
(laughs)  
That's it."  
  
The girls cheered ecstatically as Kurama took a bow. As he walked back towards us, I folded my arms and muttered:  
"Hn." Kurama just smiled.  
"Way to go Kurama! You sure know how to impress the ladies!" Kuwabara crowed. Kurama laughed lightly while the crowd continued to cheer behind him. Yusuke tapped his foot impatiently.  
"Yeah, yeah- good job Kurama. Now, who's going next?" Urameshi questioned. Kuwabara and I instantly glanced at each other, then at Yusuke.  
"I guess I'll go," Kuwabara decided. We both nodded and watched as Kuwabara began walking towards the microphone. Before he even touched it though, the booing began.  
"Get off the stage, ugly!" Someone screamed.  
"What?" Kuwabara asked in surprise.  
"You heard us! Go back! Give us Hiei!" A girl answered. Secretly, I was both shocked and flattered. They actually wanted me to sing? I couldn't suppress a low laugh as Kuwabara got food thrown at him. Just as he turned to retreat, he got hit with pie in the back of the head. Kurama placed a hand over his mouth to hide a smile as Kuwabara returned, but Yusuke showed no shame in laughing at his friend.  
"You're so pathetic that our own fans rejected you!" Yusuke laughed.  
"Shut up Urameshi! Just wait till you get up there!" Kuwabara growled.  
"You two do that. In the meantime, let me show you how it's done," I said smoothly. Kuwabara and Yusuke both gawked while Kurama stared at me in astonishment. Calmly, I walked past them to the stage. Grabbing the microphone, I heard the crowd roar. Trying to ignore the tumult of the crowd, I flipped through the songs. First I went through the Japanese selections, but they were too happy and sunny to fit my style. (Botan probably picked them.)  
I began looking through the English selections and was surprised to see one I recognized. With a grin, I looked over the lyrics and then pressed the confirmation button. Grabbing the microphone, I sang.  
"Ooh, let's go  
  
Steve walks warily down the street  
  
With the brim pulled way down low  
  
Ain't no sound but the sound of his feet  
  
Machine guns ready to go  
  
Are you ready, hey, are you ready for this  
  
Are you hangin' on the edge of your seat  
  
Out of the doorway the bullets rip  
  
To the sound of the beat - yeah  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
And another one gone and another one gone  
  
Another one bites the dust, eh  
  
Hey, I'm gonna get you too  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
How do you think I'm going to get along  
  
Without you when you're gone  
  
You took me for everything that I had  
  
And kicked me out on my own  
  
Are you happy ? Are you satisfied ?  
  
How long can you stand the heat  
  
Out of the doorway the bullets rip  
  
To the sound of the beat  
  
Look out  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
And another one gone and another one gone  
  
Another one bites the dust, eh  
  
Hey, I'm gonna get you too  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
Hey  
  
Oh take it  
  
Bites the dust - bite the dust hey  
  
Hey  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
Another one bites the dust, ow  
  
Another one bites the dust, hey hey  
  
Another one bites the dust, heeey  
  
Ooh show down  
  
There are plenty of ways that you can hurt a man  
  
And bring him to the ground  
  
You can beat him  
  
You can cheat him  
  
You can treat him bad and leave him  
  
When he's down, yeah  
  
But I'm ready, yes I'm ready for you  
  
I'm standing on my own two feet  
  
Out of the doorway the bullets rip  
  
Repeating to the sound of the beat  
  
Oh yeah  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
And another one gone and another one gone  
  
Another one bites the dust, yeah  
  
Hey, I'm gonna get you too  
  
Another one bites the dust  
  
Shoot out  
  
Hey, alright."  
  
"As I finished, the crowd burst into applause. Placing my hands in my pockets, I walked back to where Kurama and the others were standing. They had stunned expressions on their faces. I showed no emotion although I was  
pleased by their reactions.  
"Wow Hiei... that was really good," Kurama complimented.  
"Don't sound so surprised Kurama," I instructed, my voice dripping with sarcasm. The kitsune youkai laughed and shook his head.  
"Well, I guess it's my turn then," Yusuke announced as he cracked his knuckles and shuffled from side to side. "Wish me luck," He added with a grin. The three of us watched him walk onto the stage, and although the noise wasn't as deafening, he still received praise and applause. Kuwabara instantly began to mouth off, and for once, I didn't say a word. I had some sympathy for the poor fool. He had never gotten to sing. I listened in silence as he vented his frustration. Yusuke thumbed through songs. When he finally selected one, the room grew quiet. Like Kurama and I, he had picked an English song.  
"I am a little bit of loneliness a little bit of disregard  
  
Handful of complaints but I can't help the fact that everybody can see  
  
these scars  
  
I am what I want you to want what I want you to feel  
  
But it's like no matter what I do, I can't convince you, to just believe  
  
this is real  
  
So I let go, watching you, turn your back like you always do  
  
Face away and pretend that I'm not  
  
But I'll be here cause you want what I've got  
  
(I can't feel the way I did before)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
  
(Time won't heal this damage anymore)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
I am a little bit insecure a little unconfident  
  
Cause you don't understand I do what I can but sometimes I don't make  
  
sense  
  
I say what you never wanna say but I've never had a doubt  
  
It's like no matter what I do I can't convince you for once just to hear  
  
me out  
  
So I let go watching you turn your back like you always do  
  
Face away and pretend that I'm not  
  
But I'll be here 'cause you're all that I've got  
  
(I can't feel the way I did before)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
  
(Time won't heal this damage anymore)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
(Now)  
  
(Hear me out now)  
  
(You're gonna listen to me, like it or not)  
  
(Right now)  
  
(Hear me out now)  
  
(You're gonna listen to me, like it or not)  
  
(Right now)  
(I can't feel the way I did before)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
  
(I can't feel the way I did before)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
  
(Time won't heal this damage anymore)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
  
(I can't feel the way I did before)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
  
(Time won't heal this damage anymore)  
  
(Don't turn your back on me)  
  
(I won't be ignored)  
I can't feel  
  
I won't be ignored  
  
Time won't heal  
  
Don't turn your back on me  
  
I won't be ignored."  
It was unusual for Yusuke to sing so well, but the crowd seemed to enjoy it. As he walked back, he grinned at Kuwabara, causing him to scowl in response. Suddenly, Koenma stepped up to the microphone.  
"Great job boys. I'm sure the fans enjoyed it- Koenma was cut off as the crowd cheered. After the noise died down, he went on. "We have decided to save the dance party for tomorrow night. For now, the stage is open for karaoke as well as the pool on the second deck. Enjoy your night," Koenma finished. Immediately, guests began lining up to sing. In the meantime, I turned to go get changed. Kurama followed after me, but Yusuke and Kuwabara did not. I assumed that they planned to mingle with the crowd.  
When Kurama and I returned to the dressing room, we grabbed our clothes, then exchanged glances. "Hiei," Kurama began. I looked to him, my gaze questioning. Kurama shifted his weight onto another foot and looked away. "Hiei, it's still early. Why don't we go and watch the singers?" I shook my head.  
"I have no desire to watch human entertainment." Kurama was silent for a moment, and together, we began to walk back to the dining room.  
"Well... how about going swimming?" He asked hopefully. I sighed. To tell the truth, I was still annoyed with him. All I wanted to do was go and sleep so I could escape the Ningenkai- even if it was just momentarily. I noticed that when I never answered, Kurama didn't press the subject. Finally, we reached our room.  
Without speaking, we went into different rooms and changed back into our normal clothes. I sat on my bed till Kurama came out of the bathroom. He sat down beside me and stared at the floor. The silence between us gave me a feeling of guilt. I could tell that he was trying to apologize, but I wasn't ready to accept it. However, seeing Kurama, my only true friend, worrying about my feelings made me sick. I didn't want him to be concerned. Hoping to take his mind off of me, I spoke up.  
"Why are we sitting here? Didn't you say something a bout a pool?" I questioned roughly. Kurama looked at me in surprise.  
"Hai, but I thought-  
"Forget what you thought Kurama. Did you bring bathing suits?" I interrupted.  
Kurama nodded and smiled. Reaching under his bed, he pulled out his suitcase and began to sort through it. I stared in awe at his many clothes and hair products. Finally, he pulled out two pairs of swim trunks- one red, one black. He handed me the darker pair and then put everything away. I stared at him, not sure if it was worth asking or not.  
"What is it Hiei?" Kurama asked curiously. Slowly, I questioned:  
"Kurama... are you... um... gay?" The fox youkai blinked a few times in astonishment.  
"Hiei...um... no, I'm not gay. Why would you ask that?" He wondered.  
"You collect clothes like a girl and wear pink like a pansy- plus you have long hair..." I stated, slightly embarrassed. Kurama laughed.  
"You think I'm gay because of my clothes? Hiei, my mother buys all my clothes, and although I love her to death, she doesn't have the greatest fashion sense. I guess her style has rubbed off on me," Kurama explained. I nodded, relieved. "Besides, I have red hair. It looks better long and it goes well with lighter colors," He went on. I just continued to shake my head in understanding. "Well, you should probably get changed," Kurama suggested as he returned to the bathroom.  
Immediately, I removed my clothes and slipped on the swim trunks. A moment later, Kurama emerged in his bathing suit holding two towels.  
"Ready?" He asked cheerfully. I forced a small smile, and Kurama's mood instantly improved. "Let's go!" Kurama exclaimed.  
Together, we walked down the hall and a flight of stairs to a part of the deck that was fully lit. A huge pool stretched out before us, and joyful music was playing. Waiters were distributing drinks to the bikini- clad girls and muscular guys who were hanging around the pool. The humans were talking, laughing, diving, and splashing. Everyone appeared happy and content... what a joke. I almost regretted coming until I looked at Kurama's face. It shone with happiness and joy. Seeing him like that- relaxed, at peace- satisfied. That's what made it worth it. As we made our way towards the pool, I forgot everything Kurama had done in the past day to anger me.  
This was a cruise. I was with Kurama and Yukina. I had seen Tomoyo, Kara, and Corri. I got one wish at the end of the week. This was a vacation... and realizing all this, I decided: What the hell. Might as well have 'fun'. A small grin crept onto my lips as Kurama and I set down our towels and headed towards the diving board.  
As we walked, I noticed some girls staring and giggling. Some guys gave us judgmental looks as if to ask: "What are you doing here?" I couldn't wait to show these ningens my superiority. They would learn just how powerful we really were.  
Finally, Kurama and I reached the diving board. Kurama deposited our towels on the ground, and I stepped aside to allow the redheaded youkai to go first. I watched carefully to see what move he'd make. The pool was deep, and reached twelve feet in the deepest end- the part where we were diving. Once the people swimming had cleared out of the way, Kurama began to gently jump up and down on the tip of the white board. Finally, he leapt high into the air, flipping backwards and turning so he made a perfect swan dive when he hit the water. Those that had been watching clapped politely as he came up, and girls giggled and whispered excitedly to each other.  
Rolling my eyes, I stepped up. As Kurama pulled himself out of the pool, I thought over what I would do. The humans looked to me expectantly, and finally, I smirked.  
Stepping forward, I caused my spirit energy to swirl around me in the form of fire. Looking to some girls floating before me, I said: "Move unless you want to die." Immediately, they swam to the side of the pool. Taking a deep breath, I shot upwards, flipping as I did so. When I started to come down, I twirled to face the water and shot a stream of fire below me. The water evaporated from the scorching heat, leaving a large dry circle with water for sides. As I dropped to the bottom of the pool, the water began to cave in and fill the space where I stood. Before it could touch me though, I jumped above the water. I performed a back flip again and landed on the diving board. Finally, I made a perfect swam dive, rivaling Kurama's. I swam beneath the water to the other side of the pool. As soon as I got up, thunderous applause filled my ears.  
Wearing a small smile, I calmly returned to my friend's side. "Well done Hiei. That was quite a show," He complimented.  
"It was nothing," I replied with a shrug. Kurama gave me a knowing smile and nodded. Together, we jumped into the pool and began to swim. My ki kept me warm, so the water wasn't as refreshing. I lowered my energy so that my body heat would be the same as a human's. I enjoyed the clean liquid and the exercise I got from swimming through it.  
About an hour after we had started swimming, Kurama and I got out to get some drinks. We tracked down a waiter, and to my surprise, I found it was the same one who had made the remark about the kids' menu. He looked at me fearfully as Kurama asked:  
"May we have two lemonades?" The waiter opened his mouth and answered slowly, all the while, keeping his eyes on me.  
"Of course sir. Anything you want," He agreed. Taking two glasses from off his tray, he handed them to Kurama and hurried away.  
"Strange guy," Kurama commented as he sat in a nearby chair. Sitting beside him, I took the extra lemonade. Sipping it slowly through the straw (something I had recently mastered), I watched the waiter as he scurried from place to place around the pool. As I monitored his movements, a scheme began to formulate in my head. I never got him back for insulting me... An evil smirk crawled onto my face as I finished my drink.  
"Hiei, what are you planning?" Kurama questioned worriedly.  
"Nothing for you to be concerned about," I assured him as I got to my feet. Kurama watched me as I made my way around the pool. I knew he was hesitating- he wasn't sure whether to follow me or not. While he debated in his mind, I formed a small ball of energy in my hand. Clenching my fist around it, I let my energy pour out. People screamed and scrambled to get out of the way. Finally, I reached the man and he whirled around. As his eyes widened in fear, I released my ki.  
He yelped as he clothes caught on fire. Folding my arms, I watched in amusement as he tried to put it out with drinks. "Perhaps something from the kid's menu could quench the fire," I said smugly. When the drinks didn't seem to work, he looked feverishly at me and tried to tear off his shirt, burning his hands in the process. Pitying the poor fool, I shoved him into the water, extinguishing the flames.  
People laughed and pointed as he broke the surface, gasping for air. A second later, Kurama was at my side. "Hiei! You know we're not supposed to injure humans!" He scolded.  
"Kill Kurama, kill," I corrected him. Kurama sighed heavily just as the waiter got out of the water. Taking one look at me, he ran out of sight.  
"Hiei... I don't know what to do with you anymore!" Kurama complained. I just shrugged and continued to smile now quite content. Kurama frowned, then grinned as he pushed me forward. Startled, I fell into the pool with a splash. Shooting back up, I glared at Kurama. Seeing that his feet were within my reach, I grabbed him by the ankles and pulled him in with me. With a yelp, he went underwater. When he came back up, he dunked me with rage. I grabbed him, forcing him under again.  
Soon we were both fighting- not seriously, but competitively. Suddenly our brawl was interrupted when a voice screeched over a nearby intercom, freezing us in place.  
"Hello everyone! Are you having fun yet?" Botan giggled. "I sure hope so! But if not, head down to the pool for our last event of the night- chicken fights!" With that, Botan's voice ceased and the intercom clicked off. Kurama and I glanced at each other and asked:  
"Chicken fights?" Almost instantly, the crowd doubled. I spotted Yusuke and Kuwabara with Keiko and Yukina- all four of them in bathing suits. People were getting out of the pool so Kurama and I did the same. As soon as we did, Koenma appeared. He stood in his teenage form with a microphone in hand. A hush fell over the crowd as he began to speak.  
"To end this night, we will be having chicken fights in the pool. A team consists of two people, and fifteen teams are allowed to enter. How you play, is one of the two people on a team will get up on their partner's shoulders. They'll go up against another pair and try to knock the person on top off of their teammate and into the water. Whoever beats all the other teams and comes out victorious will win a special prize," Koenma explained.  
Excited, people began to talk and pair up to form teams. Kurama looked to me as I began to walk away. "Hiei..." Kurama began.  
"No," I replied without turning around. By the way Kurama's voice changed, I could tell he was disappointed.  
"Onegai?" He pleaded gently.  
My steps slowed until I finally stopped. Don't look at him, I thought... but I couldn't help it. Staring straight into Kurama's bright green eyes, I crumbled.  
"Sometimes I just want to take my sword and cut out your eyeballs- ya know that?" I seethed grumpily. Kurama smiled and nodded. "Well, as long as you know," I muttered as I made my way back towards the pool. A few minutes passed till Koenma asked:  
"Will each team that wishes to participate please raise their hands?" Immediately, hundreds of hands went into the air. I noticed that Yusuke, Kuwabara's, Keiko's, and Yukina's were among them. I cringed instinctively. This would be interesting.  
"Well, it seems we have too many teams. Of course, any Yu Yu Hakusho teams are automatically in, but we have to narrow it down so we have twelve other teams. Please play Janken until only twelve pairs remain," Koenma ordered.  
"Hn. Figures he would use rock, paper, scissors to decide this. Why are we allowed to participate without any preliminary round?" I questioned angrily.  
"Well, it is our cruise," Kurama pointed out.  
"Quiet you," I snapped sourly. Kurama just grinned. Time passed quickly until only twelve other teams remained. Kurama and I, along with Yusuke and the other participants gathered in a circle around Koenma.  
"It seems that all fifteen teams are present. Let's begin," Koenma announced. Immediately, Koenma began pairing up different teams. I was surprised to find we were left without any opponents.  
"Koenma, what is the meaning of this?" I demanded as the other teams slid into the water.  
"Because there isn't an even amount of teams, one team, usually the strongest, gets to the pass the first round and go immediately to the second. I figured you two would make the strongest couple," Koenma explained. I nodded. That was a reasonable assumption. Seeing that we would have to wait, I turned and watched as the teams loaded their partners onto their shoulders. I clenched my right hand angrily when Kuwabara hoisted my sister onto his back. She situated herself on his shoulders and I watched in disgust as he blushed and smiled. Yusuke wiggled beneath Keiko, causing her to slap him playfully. Urameshi grinned in response.  
The other pairs I did not recognize, but most were girl-guy couples... all except for one- Inu-ko and Kara. Inu-ko still wore her black bikini and was supporting the person on top of her as if it were nothing. Kara wore a glittery green one-piece bathing suit. Noticing that Tomoyo wasn't in the water, I scanned the crowd. I saw her watching her friends intently, cheering them on with a smile.  
Finally, Botan's voice broke the tense silence as she said from the intercom:  
"Let the chicken fights begin!"  
Immediately, the teams were pitted against each other. I admit, watching girls in bathing suits try to hit eachother off another person's shoulders was... barbarically entertaining. After a few minutes, the winning teams stood with their partners, grinning with pride. Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Inu-ko's partners had all done surprisingly well. I assumed a strong bottom was the key to victory.  
As Koenma announced the winners, he also stated the next pairings. Finally, Kurama and I were called to fight one of the other couples. Our opponents would be two brown-haired humans. The girls had long brown hair and gray eyes. She was tall and slender while her slightly shorter boyfriend was muscular. As he hoisted her onto his shoulders, I looked to Kurama. He looked back and we stared awkwardly.  
"I assume you want me-  
"On top? Yes- you're shorter and you're lighter," Kurama answered before I could finish.  
"Hn," I muttered in embarrassment. Kurama knelt down in the water in order for me to climb up. Grabbing his shoulders, I pulled myself onto his back and swung my legs over so they dangled against his chest. As he stood, I wobbled slightly and leaned forward. I gasped as my groin rubbed hard against Kurama's head. Judging from the sudden heat I felt, I assumed the kitsune was blushing. I scooted back some, my face growing red. Luckily, it seemed only we had noticed.  
While we waited for the fights to begin, I looked over at my sister, who was sitting on top of Kuwabara. She shared my strength in some aspects. Could she possibly beat the other girls despite her kind nature? While I watched Yukina, Koenma stepped up to the microphone. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts, that I almost didn't hear him say:  
"Begin the second round!"  
As soon as Kurama moved beneath me though, I faced forward and eyed my opponent- the tall girl. She smiled at me and put her hands up- ready to push me off at any moment. Without batting an eyelash, I ducked down and punched her in the stomach. Her eyes widened in painful surprise as she fell backwards into the water. I had won.  
"Hiei!" Kurama yelped as the guy in front of us scrambled to help the girl I had just defeated.  
"Nani?" I asked airily.  
"Not so hard Hiei! You'll hurt someone!" Kurama scolded. Angrily, I squeezed Kurama's head between my knees and his hands shot up instinctively. While he tried to loosen my grip on his skull, I talked in a low hiss.  
"As long as I'm fighting, we'll fight my way." As I said this, Kurama continued to claw at my legs. Giving him one last squeeze, I weakened my hold. Instantly, Kurama dropped down underwater, pressing me against the pool bottom. Hurriedly, I swam out from underneath him and went to the surface, I glared at Kurama angrily and he glared back just as viciously. Before we could exchange words though, Koenma spoke again.  
"All right, the next pairings are as follows: Yusuke's Team vs. Kuwabara's Team, and Inu-ko's Team vs. Hiei's team."  
I stopped listening after that. We were going to face the two girls- Corri and Kara? I clenched my teeth and tried to remain calm. What I had told Kurama was true- I would fight my way- roughly... but that's because I didn't know the humans and had no emotional attachment or ties to them. Now that we were going up against Inu-ko and Kara, should I let up? Kurama looked at me out of the corner of his eye and I nodded.  
Forgetting our recent fight, I resumed my position on his shoulders. Corri approached us with Kara situated on top of her while Kuwabara and Yusuke paired up their girls. I looked into Kara's olive green eyes and smirked. She grinned back and placed her hands in front of her.  
"Begin!" Koenma ordered. Immediately, Kurama stepped forward, and I took a swipe at Kara. It was a normal attack, and Kara blocked it easily. I continued to attack calmly, but Kara countered each thrust. Just when I started to get annoyed, Kara lashed out. Surprised, she caught me off guard and hit me square in the chest. Kurama began to slip backwards, causing me to panic. Before we could fall, I launched a series of lightning fast punches, knocking Kara easily from Corri's shoulders. Kurama regained his balance as the girls broke the surface for air.  
"Good job Hiei," Corri panted.  
"Yeah. For someone so ugly, you sure can fight!" Kara exclaimed with a smile.  
"I'll ignore that," I glowered as I looked at Kara. All she did was smile innocently. Suddenly, Kurama nudged me. I turned to question him, but the words I had in mind quickly disintegrated when I saw what he was pointing to. My sister and Keiko were still fighting, and by the looks of it, my sister was winning!  
Keiko and Yukina's hands were locked, but it was obvious that Yukina was stronger because she was pushing Keiko and Yusuke backward at a rapid rate. Her face was set in determination, and her small body was tense.  
"She reminds me of you," Kurama whispered fondly.  
"Hn," I replied as color rushed to my cheeks. Kurama said no more. Everyone watched in silence till the two were up against the wall. Then, everything changed. Yukina stopped pushing, allowing Keiko to press forward... then, she wrenched Keiko off of Yusuke's shoulders and flung her into the deep end. She had won.  
I listened in amazement as the crowd cheered. Yukina blushed and waved politely. I was filled with pride for my sister, but then filled with horror when Koenma boomed:  
"We now have our two finalists! Hiei and Kurama, vs. Kuwabara and Yukina!"  
NO! I thought to myself. I had to face my sister and that oaf? There was no way I'd lose to Kuwabara, but I wasn't about to fight my sister either.  
"Curse it all," I hissed under my breath.  
"Hm?" Kurama questioned curiously. I began scheming inside my head in the few seconds I had to reply. Finally, I grabbed Kurama by the wrist and trudged out of the pool. Before we could leave the area though, Koenma yelled:  
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?"  
"To take a piss, do you mind?" I yelled back threateningly. Koenma instantly reddened as others laughed.  
"Okay, hurry back," He instructed. Once we were away from the pool and running down the halls, Kurama asked:  
"Where are we really going?"  
"Back to our room. There's no way I'm going to lose, but at the same time, I'm not going to defeat my sister," I stated firmly.  
"Then... how...?" Kurama trailed. I never answered. Instead, I continued to run, focusing on the task at hand. When we finally reached our room, I threw open the door and ran inside. Kurama followed curiously, a puzzled expression on his face.  
Without explanation, I opened my suitcase and pulled out a pair of wooden sandals. They were similar to the sandals samurai used to wear, but rarer. They had long bottoms- at least two feet high. In a way, they were like mini stilts.  
"Hiei, you can't seriously be considering...!"  
"Yes, you're going to fight my sister," I finished before he could ask. Kurama sighed as I slipped on the sandals and tied them to my feet. When I stood, I was about as tall as Kuwabara.  
"I'm not so sure about this Hiei," Kurama said worriedly.  
"Deal with it kitsune- I'm not fighting my sister," I restated stubbornly. Kurama said nothing as we made our way back to the pool. When we arrived, people pointed and stared, but I ignored them. Stepping into the water, I walked up to Kuwabara and Yukina, now level with Kuwabara's chin.  
"What's wrong shorty? Afraid to go up against a girl?" Kuwabara chuckled. I smirked.  
"No, I just wanted the satisfaction of kicking you in the balls if we lose," I retorted. Kuwabara's eyes widened in shock as he took a weary step back. Just then, Kurama stepped into the water beside me. He walked up to my back and hesitated. "What are you waiting for?" I questioned irritably.  
"Are you sure this is all right Hiei?" Kurama asked worriedly.  
"Yes, just hurry up and get on my shoulders!" I snapped. Awkwardly, Kurama began to climb up like he had been instructed. I struggled to remain upright. He was heavier than I thought he'd be. Finally, he got situated. I wobbled a little before I regained my balance. A few seconds later, Kurama wiggled uncomfortably. I grew hot from his touch. As soon as this was over, I would swear off chicken fights forever.  
"Are you ready?" Koenma asked through the microphone. Kurama and Yukina nodded. "All right then- begin!" Koenma ordered. Immediately, I took a step forward. Carefully, Kurama locked hands with my sister and they began to push against eachother. They seemed evenly matched, but I strained to stay put because the friction was affecting me as well. Suddenly, Kuwabara took a step forward. I felt myself beginning to slip. To counter, I pushed with all my might, but the water was making me miscalculate strengths and weaknesses. I had to shift back a little to get my bearings.  
Kurama and Yukina continued to "Indian Wrestle" as they say, and I struggled against Kuwabara in order to press forward. To my dismay, I soon grew tired. This was more work than I thought, and with Kurama weighing me down, it was harder. Just then, Kuwabara grinned. That goofy, obnoxious grin that drove me insane. Gritting my teeth, I did the only thing I could- step on his toes.  
"Yow!" Kuwabara yelped as he stepped backward. For a moment, Yukina swayed, but Kurama didn't press forward. Even he was reluctant to beat my sister... but although Kurama and Yukina were hesitant, Kuwabara had no problem fighting back. Clenching Yukina's legs tightly so she wouldn't fall, he fired a kick at me with his left leg. I tried to jump, but because the water slowed me down, Kuwabara managed to hit the bottom of my sandals, sending me off balance. Kurama lurched in one direction, but I held tight to his body. Luckily, I landed on one foot and was able to remain upright.  
At that moment, the chicken fight did not matter. All I could think about was beating Kuwabara into the ground. Kurama seemed to sense this, because his grip on me tightened. Using my speed, I ran at Kuwabara. His eyes widened slightly as he desperately tried to move out of the way. Before he could move, I punched him hard in the chest. Kuwabara stumbled backwards, but when Yukina let out a screech, he regained his footing.  
"Hiei! Come on, this is a chicken fight, not a match! Don't battle here," Kurama pleaded.  
"Ursai!" I shushed him angrily.  
"It seems like the boys have disregarded the battle and are starting to fight eachother!" Koenma announced in disbelief.  
"Hiei, let's just finish what we started. Just because you're afraid to beat a girl doesn't mean you should take it out on me!" Kuwabara exclaimed. I resisted the urge to release my Kokuryuha. Instead, I decided to do something else. I ran at Kuwabara, but stopped a few feet short of hitting him. Kurama and Yukina immediately locked hands again. Kuwabara appeared relieved. I smiled at him and he studied me suspiciously.  
"Do you see that girl Kuwabara? She's stupid enough to admire you," I said darkly.  
"Huh? What do you mean?" Kuwabara asked, his eyes narrowing. I shrugged slightly, earning a foot in the ribs from Kurama. Wincing, I went on.  
"You don't see her? That ningen in the bikini screaming your name?" I asked, pretending to be surprised.  
"Uh, no... is she hot?" Kuwabara asked in a whisper. Dumb, and gullible...  
I shrugged again, earning a harder kick from my partner. "Don't move Hiei- unless you want me to lose!" Kurama growled. I was about to point out that he was going easy on my sister as it is, but held my tongue. Instead, I continued to address the pathetic excuse for a human.  
"I am not the type to judge a ningen, but if you mean to ask if her cleavage is popping out of her top and if she has a slender body along with a cute navel, then yes. She also has long brown hair and curves like an hour glass," I said dryly. Like a kid eager for candy, Kuwabara turned his head to scan the crowd.  
"Wow! Where is she?" He wondered. Choosing not to answer, I lifted my leg and hammered my wooden sandals squarely in Kuwabara's groin. Seeing his face contort in pain gave me a feeling that no words could describe. I was happy to put it simply. I didn't care if Kurama scolded me later. I would always remember his expression and that's what mattered.  
Even better than that, was when Kuwabara fell backwards, taking my sister with him. We had won. Knowing this, I abruptly shook Kurama off my shoulders. While he sputtered and wiped the water out of his eyes, I reached down and pulled my sister up into my arms. She blushed as I took her to the side of the pool and deposited her on the ground. Grabbing a nearby towel, I wrapped it around her before turning to look at an enraged Kurama and Kuwabara. Before either of them could say anything though, Koenma boomed:  
"And the winners are Kurama and Hiei! What do you want?" With a smile, I said:  
"Make sure Kuwabara doesn't come within six feet of Yukina." I heard Kuwabara gasp, as I looked him in the eye.  
"What's your problem Hiei?" Kuwabara demanded in disbelief.  
"Hiei-san, that really isn't necessary. Kazuma hasn't done anything to me," Yukina assured me gently.  
"That is my wish," I said firmly, ignoring her innocence. With a sigh, Koenma replied:  
"If that is your wish, so be it. Kurama, what do you want?" At first, Kurama was silent. Everyone waited patiently while he thought until finally, he grinned. Looking directly at me, he said:  
"I wish that Hiei had to share a room with Kuwabara instead of Yusuke."  
"Nani?!" Everyone including myself shouted.  
"Kurama, you can't be serious," I seethed angrily.  
"That is my wish," He exclaimed, using my words against me.  
"All right then. Botan, see to the arrangements," Koenma ordered. And that, as they say, was that.  
  
* * * * *  
  
I woke up a day later to complete silence. I rolled over and buried my head into a pillow. The way I saw things, if I never left my room, no one could make me do anything. Sure, it may be considered cowardice, but the longer I slept, the longer I could avoid the others without being disturbed. I couldn't wait till we returned to Nihongo. The first thing I'd do when I got back would be to flee to the Makai and stay there for as long as possible.  
The only thing that could possibly pull me from my bed was hunger. Of course, I could go a few days without food, but the longer I went with an empty stomach, the lower my energy became. In the rare case a battle occurred, I wanted to be able to do my best. So... although I detested it, I knew I had to get up and face the ningens as well as Kurama.  
With a soft sigh, I sat up and yawned. Looking around the room, I was glad to see no sign of Kuwabara. Glancing out a nearby window, I assumed that it was about noon. Sliding out of bed, I changed into some clean black pants and a matching muscle shirt. Raking a hand through my hair I stepped outside and began to walk. I could always order room service, but without Kurama, I was clueless. I wasn't about to ask Kuwabara either. Suddenly, I paused. I could ask the girls... no, forget it. Why make a fool out of myself when breakfast was already being served in the dining hall? All I had to do was avoid everyone...  
When I reached the large dining hall, my red eyes scanned the area. I saw no sign of Kurama or the others, so I made my way to a small table in the corner and sat down.  
"Good morning Hiei-san, how may I help you?" A waitress asked as she approached me.  
"I need something to eat," I answered tiredly.  
"Anything in particular?" She questioned sweetly.  
"The head of a demon, drenched in blood," I answered sarcastically.  
"I don't think we have that sir. How about ham and eggs?" The waitress suggested with a smile. I thought for a moment while studying the waitress under my steady gaze.  
"Close enough," I finally agreed. Bowing slightly, the waitress nodded and hurried away. I saw that there was sake on the table, but decided that it was too early to drink alcohol. I waited patiently until the girl returned with a steaming plate of food and a glass of water.  
"Is this all right?" She questioned gently. Quietly, I looked at the plate. It held a mountain of scrambled eggs, three slices of ham, toast, and potato wedges. The smell wafted into my nostrils and made my mouth water.  
"Hn," I answered.  
"Good. Enjoy your meal Hiei-san!" She bade as she walked away. After the woman walked out of sight, I began to eat using a fork she had set on the table. The food was pretty good, and I ate it slowly to savor the taste. Kurama cooks better... I thought suddenly. I paused and set down my fork. Kurama was a really good cook... I shook my head to clear my mind. No- I couldn't think of him now. He had handed me over to the stupidest ningen on earth. I could not forgive him! Yet... I could not stay mad at Kurama for long. After all, he was the only friend I had. Well... I could always be angry with him for a little while. Yes, I would remain angry until he made it up to me, I decided. Without thinking of the kitsune again, I finished my meal. Getting up, I quickly left the room to go back to my quarters. About half way there though, I heard footsteps behind me. Without looking back, I quickened my pace... but so did the footsteps. I knew I was being followed. Gritting my teeth, I cursed myself for leaving my katana in my room. Suddenly, I reached a corner. I ran around it and flattened myself to the wall, expecting the person to take chase. But to my surprise, nothing happened. A minute went by, then five, then ten. Tired of waiting, I peeked around the corner. I was astonished to see Kurama leaning over the railing, the breeze fluttering through his hair and the sun shining on his face. I stared at him in awe, unsure of why he was there. Was he the one who had been following me? If it were he, I was sure I would've sensed his familiar ki. Reluctantly, I stepped out into plain sight and made my way towards him. "Nanda Kurama?" I questioned darkly. "Oh, Hiei! There you are," Kurama replied without answering my question. "Yes, what is it?" I repeated. "You missed coming to the dance hall last night," Kurama said quietly. "And?" I demanded sharply. "I missed you," Kurama replied quietly. "Hn."  
  
"Hiei, I invited you for a reason," Kurama explained. "Yes, to amuse our fans," I spat angrily. "No! Iie Hiei! I invited you for myself. I wanted to spend time with my closest friend. You're the only youkai who I can truly trust Hiei- you know that! So please, would it kill you to relax for once? To actually have fun?" Kurama demanded as his voice began to rise. Feeling a vein pop beneath my black hair, I took my finger and placed it firmly in Kurama's chest. "I tried Kurama. I tried to act like a sweet little ningen and play along, but I'm not a ningen. I'm a demon Kurama. I will not embarrass myself for simple pleasures like you. If you want someone like that, find a new 'friend'. I used to think I could trust you. You understand my silent gestures better than anyone- but you crossed the line. Kurama, I'm not going to bend over backwards and kiss your ass just so I can make a fool of myself." And with that, I turned and walked away. Kurama never said a word. Calmly, I returned to my room. I opened the door and walked inside as if nothing were wrong, but as soon as the handle clicked behind me, I snapped. "Damn it! Damn it all!" I shouted. Fury welling up inside of me, I grabbed the nearest thing I could, which happened to be a lamp. I threw it with all my might at a wall, just as the door to the bathroom opened. A moment later, the lamp burst into sparks, leaving a crater beside Kuwabara's head. Standing in his boxers with a surprised and frightened expression, Kuwabara asked: "Uh... Hiei... what's wrong?" Still infuriated, I opened my Jagan eye and poured out dark energy from my body. Kuwabara's eyes widened as he took a step back. "If you don't want to talk about it, I understand! Really!" He said in a panicky voice. Suddenly, I got an idea. "Get dressed fool. You and I are going to spar," I announced. Kuwabara blinked and stared at me in disbelief. "But Hiei- "Don't just stand there. Get moving. I'm not in the mood for your idiotic excuses." All he did was nod.  
  
* * * * *  
Mercilessly, I beat Kuwabara with my bamboo stick. I usually wielded the practice sword when training someone, but I also used it when sparring. After all, killing Kuwabara would be such a giant loss... (Note the sarcasm). I enjoyed fighting Kuwabara. Every other second I heard my bamboo weapon "thwack" against Kuwabara's body as he winced in pain. We had begun to fight on the top deck of the ship where only a few people were lounging and there was a lot of open space. Kuwabara had his Spirit Sword out, but he was making poor use of it. The human couldn't take one step without me hitting him, but I did not let up. To erase Kurama from my mind, I had to channel all of my anger into fighting.  
"Hiei, what's wrong? I've never seen you this pissed before!" Kuwabara exclaimed as he managed to dodge one of my blows.  
"It's none of your concern. Are you going to fight me or just cower in fear? You're always saying how you would like to beat me up- well, here's your chance," I snapped. Kuwabara continued to wear the same lost, vacant expression. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Can you understand anything I say without having me spell it out for you? You always have that dumb expression on your face," I sighed.  
"Hey! I am not dumb! I'm just worried about you, that's all. Jeez- can't you even accept the fact that people care about you? You're so cold hearted," He stated grumpily. When he said this, I thought of Kurama and my anger intensified. Without warning, I began to exert more of my energy to make my blows more painful. Kuwabara yelped and tried desperately to defend himself, but I knocked his Spirit Sword out of his hands. I stopped short of hitting him again and narrowed my eyes.  
"You're a worthless fool that will never be my equal. Where is Yusuke?" I hissed.  
"He's in the casino with Keiko," Kuwabara answered promptly, his body heaving as he got to his feet.  
"Hn." With that, I turned and left Kuwabara, my body still hot from our 'battle'. A casino huh? That meant lots of people, and possibly Kurama. It wasn't worth it. Better to sulk in silence. Surely, if Kuwabara was dumb enough to ask me what was wrong, Yusuke would do the same. I didn't want to explain anything to anyone, so I continued walking till I reached my room. Going inside, I shut the door and locked it. I didn't care if Kuwabara wandered the halls- nothing was going to disturb me. Throwing myself onto my bed, I closed my eyes.  
"Chikuso," I muttered. A few minutes later, I drifted off to sleep.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Knock Knock! I groaned and curled up into a ball. "Go away," I mumbled. Knock Knock! "I said, GO AWAY!" I exclaimed a little louder. KNOCK KNOCK! Instantly, I jumped out of bed and ran to the door. As I threw it open I yelled: "What the hell do you want?" When I saw Yukina blinking back at me innocently, my anger faded away. "Oh, Yukina, what is it?" I questioned roughly, now embarrassed. "Hiei-san, why haven't you come to see us? We're all very worried about you," My sister stated. By 'all', I assumed she meant the others. "So? My whereabouts are none of their concern," I replied coldly. "But Hiei-san, we miss you. Please come and do something with us. Come to the casino- it's a lot of fun," She persuaded. "No thank you. Ningen games don't interest me," I exclaimed. "But... you played in the chicken fights," She pointed out. "That was different!" I snapped, my face growing hot. Yukina was silent for a moment. "Well... come by later if you have the time," She instructed. I watched her walk down the hall and turn a corner. When she was out of sight, I let out a long sigh. I had reached a new low- I had snapped at my own flesh and blood. Was Kurama right? Would it kill me to have fun? I had tried showing my feelings before, only to be hurt and embarrassed. The thing I hated most was that feeling of helplessness mixed with vulnerability.  
Not many people could get close to me because I never showed a weak side, and frankly, I was happy with the way I was... but now, I was starting to hurt the people I had allowed to get close to me.  
"Damn you Kurama- I hate it when you're right," I hissed. Reluctantly, I made my way down the hall. When I finally ran into a waiter, I stopped him and asked:  
"Where is the casino?"  
  
* * * * *  
  
The whirring of the slot machines could be heard as I entered the extravagant room. In the casino, everything seemed to shine in the chandelier's lights. Different games were being played at every table- things such as black jack, poker, and others. On one side of the casino was a desk where you exchanged chips for money and vice versa. It was also where they would check your age.  
Somewhere in the middle of the casino was a restaurant and bar. If people chose to, they could live in the casino- at least for a few days. Among all of the ningens, I tried to catch a glimpse of green hair. Where was Yukina? Maybe she was by the dice games...  
Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice say: "Way to go Kurama! You're reeling in the cash!" I turned to my right to see Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama and Keiko, all sitting at a round table. Only Kurama had cards in his hands. He appeared to be playing black jack. I stared in awe at his mountain of chips. They were all silver, which represented 100,000 yen each.  
"I think I'll stop now," Kurama said quietly.  
"Aww, man- don't stop now! You're on a roll!" Kuwabara urged. Kurama just smiled and shook his head. Handing his cards back to the dealer, he stood and gathered up all of his chips into a small black bag. Him, along with the others all began to walk away, but suddenly, Yukina approached them from another direction. She stopped short, and I wondered why. Suddenly, I remembered the restraining order I had placed on Kuwabara and smiled.  
"Hey Yukina! What's up? Did you manage to drag Hiei here?" Yusuke questioned hopefully.  
"Ano..." Yukina trailed. Before she could say anything, I walked up behind her.  
"Oh, there he is. Hey Hiei," Yusuke greeted.  
"Nani?" Yukina asked in surprise. She turned to face me, obviously puzzled, yet pleased. Kuwabara and Kurama didn't say anything, and neither did I.  
"Glad to see you emerged from the dark," Yusuke teased.  
"Yeah, we were getting worried about you," Keiko commented.  
"Hn," Was all I said.  
"Well, now that the gang's all here, let's go party!" Yusuke suggested. Without warning, he began to walk in the direction of the casino's bar. We had no choice but to follow. As we walked though, I could feel Kurama staring at me. I remained calm although I was starting to feel more and more awkward. We used to be close, but now I felt a giant gap between us. Deep within me, I knew I could correct that gap. All I had to do was say a few words... but how could I? I never apologized to anyone- I had never needed to. I usually considered myself higher and saw no purpose in it... but Kurama was different. Still, it wouldn't be something I'd do in front of just anyone. Kurama and I would have to be alone...  
Before I could think of anything though, we reached the bar. Yusuke took a seat and the rest of us followed suit. When the bartender, a young ningen in his twenties, approached us, Yusuke said:  
"Sake all around!"  
"Um, Yusuke-san..." Yukina interrupted.  
"Oh, and some lemonade for the ladies," Yusuke added with a smile. Immediately the bartender began rummaging through his supplies and filling glasses. Once all the drinks were distributed, Yusuke turned to me.  
"So, have you and Kurama made up yet?" He asked with a twinkle in his eye.  
"Nani?" I hissed as I took a sip of my sake.  
"You know- made up? I heard you two had a big fight. It's not often that you see the world's greatest demon pair getting in an argument," Yusuke explained.  
"Yeah, what exactly did happen between you two?" Kuwabara wondered curiously. I knew this would happen, yet, I still came. I considered cursing at them and leaving, but before I could reply, Kurama opened his mouth and said:  
"It's not something we want to discuss." I was surprised at Kurama's answer, and the shock must have shown on my face, because Kurama looked to me and smiled. Quickly, I averted my gaze, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone else. Yusuke and Kuwabara looked to eachother and shrugged, but did not say anymore. Finally, everyone finished their drinks and rose to their feet. Together, they began making their way towards the slot machines, but I did not follow. Kurama stopped and turned to me, his green eyes questioning. It was now or never. "Kurama, I need to talk to you," I announced. "What is it Hiei?" Kurama questioned softly. "Alone," I added in a whisper. Kurama nodded, and while no one was looking, went with me to the far side of the casino. While we walked, I looked around for a place we could talk in private. Finally, I spotted a men's bathroom. Looking left and right, I motioned for Kurama to follow me as I pushed the door open. When we entered, I was dismayed to find two men talking and laughing. There was no way I could talk to Kurama while they were here. Flexing my right arm, I stepped up to them. "Leave," I snapped, interrupting their conversation. Both of them looked to me in annoyance. "What do you want shrimp? We were here first," One pointed out. "I said, leave," I repeated as I allowed some dark energy to flow out of my arm. Glaring at me, the two began to walk towards the door. One left, but before the other exited, he turned to me and said: "If you wanted some time alone with your boyfriend, all you had to do was say so!" As he closed the door behind him, I felt a vein pop on my forehead. Forgetting about Kurama, I dashed for the door, but before I could make it, something grabbed me. Whirling around, I was surprised to find Kurama clutching my shirt. "Let go! I will kill him for insulting us!" I seethed with rage. "Forget it Hiei," Kurama pleaded. I stared into his bright green eyes and scowled. "Hn." "Thank you," He replied. "So, what did you want to talk about?" He asked tiredly. At that moment, my whole body seemed to freeze. What could I say? You're my only friend, so you can't leave! No, too commanding. Our fight was stupid, so forget it. No, that wasn't true. I had hurt him- that wasn't stupid. As I struggled to find the words, Kurama waited patiently. Finally, I looked up at him. "You know I'm not the kind to apologize," I stated. Kurama nodded. "So don't take what I said personally. I'm sick of all these ningens Kurama, but that gave me no excuse to snap at you. So, what I'm trying to say is... well, what I mean to say..." I trailed. "You're sorry?" Kurama said gently. "Hai," I confirmed. To my surprise, Kurama's eyes glossed over. "I forgive you Hiei, and I'm sorry too," He said warmly. Immediately, my old feelings returned. No longer did I feel worried or guilty- it was a freedom like no other. Suddenly, Kurama knelt down and hugged me. I turned to stare into his red hair, slightly disturbed. "Kurama..." I began, but before I could say anything, the door swung open to reveal Yusuke and Kuwabara. We locked eyes with them and they stared at us in surprise. Slowly, they backed out of the bathroom and shut the door. My face grew hot when I realized what they were probably thinking. "Kurama," I continued. "Yes Hiei?" "Don't ever hug me again," I ordered. "I understand," Kurama said as he broke away.  
  
* * * * *  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes."  
"Really?"  
"Yes."  
"You're positive nothing happened?"  
"Yes! What is your problem?"  
"You wouldn't lie, would you?"  
"Yes! I mean, no! What happened between us is none of your damn business! We were not 'doing' anything! All we did was have a talk!" I fumed. "I don't see why I must explain this to you. I thought you were smarter than Kuwabara," I growled.  
"Okay, okay, I won't ask you about it. Still, it looked pretty strange," Yusuke commented as he took a sip of his lemonade. I rolled my eyes and didn't reply. It was a day after Kurama and I had reunited, and everyone was on our case. Right now, Yusuke, Kurama, Kuwabara, and I were al in the VIP section of the giant ship. They had built a giant indoor hot spring where Yusuke and I now sat, towels tied firmly around our waists. In the meantime, Kurama and Kuwabara were elsewhere, receiving 'full body' massages. Kurama had invited me to come with him, but I had put it off. Although I didn't want to get into another argument, I didn't want a ningen touching me either. Especially not my whole body.  
"If you must know, Kurama is the one who hugged me. I had nothing to do with it," I said as I soaked in the warm water. Yusuke laughed.  
"Yeah, I don't see you as a touchy-feely kind of guy," He exclaimed. Once again, I made no comment. For a while, I let the silence hang between us. The stream from the heat mixed with sound of running water was pleasant. Quietly, I swam over to a section of the large spring where a mini waterfall was running over a large boulder. Silently, I went under it, allowing the liquid to wash over me. This, I could get used to. Peace and quiet... without any annoying ningens...  
"Eeeeeeee!" I heard someone screech. Both Yusuke and I stood, tense and alert. We listened carefully, but heard nothing else.  
"What was that?" Yusuke questioned concerned.  
"I'm not sure," I answered truthfully.  
"We should probably check it out- it sounded like it was close by," Yusuke decided. With a nod, we both got out of the spring. Grabbing our clothes, we carried them with us into another room- the massaging room. People were laid out on tables with tiny towels covering their sacred areas. Masseuses were busy working on their subjects, but nothing seemed to be wrong. Spotting Kurama and Kuwabara in a far corner, we walked over to them. When one of the masseuses spotted us, they exclaimed:  
"You can't come in here without an appointment sir." Ignoring her, I tapped Kurama on the shoulder. Looking over at me, he asked:  
"What is it Hiei?" Hearing my name, Kuwabara glanced over at us.  
"Did you hear a scream?" I asked calmly. Kurama and Kuwabara exchanged looks.  
"A high pitched scream- a few minutes ago," Yusuke explained. Kurama and Kuwabara shook their heads.  
"We didn't hear anything," Kurama answered slowly. At this point, both Kuwabara and Kurama's masseuses were glaring at us angrily. I noticed that they were both dressed completely in white from head to toe excluding their arms and slender hands. Slowly, they worked on Kurama and Kuwabara's bodies, graceful as spiders. I shuddered. These women were strange.  
"Well, we're going to go and look around. It'd be nice if you could help us," Yusuke stated.  
"We have not finished massaging them," One masseuse objected.  
"So? They can come back later," Yusuke answered. At this, Kurama sat up, causing his masseuse to frown.  
"Forgive us ladies. We will come back," Kurama promised. Following Kurama's lead, Kuwabara also got up and slid off the table. Together, the four of us exited the room, returning to the hot spring.  
"Where should we look first?" Kuwabara wondered.  
"Well, it sounded close by. Let's look around here," Yusuke suggested.  
"Shouldn't we get dressed first? I we do find someone, we don't ant to be wearing small white towels," Kurama pointed out.  
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Yusuke agreed.  
Quickly, Kuwabara and Kurama picked up their clothes, which had been lying next to ours. Looking around, we made sure no one was watching us before dropping our towels and beginning to get dressed. We all faced away from eachother, trusting that no one would stare... but suddenly, I got a strange feeling and paused, my leg halfway into my pants. Abruptly, I stopped changing and listened. I could faintly hear a series of clicks... a lot like a...!  
"Everyone, get into the water!" I ordered urgently. Without warning, I pushed the three of them in the hot spring as they yelped in protest. Then, I jumped in after them.  
"Hey! What's the big idea?" Yusuke demanded.  
"Someone is here baka- listen!" I hissed. Immediately, the others were silenced, but the clicking had already ceased.  
"Are you sure you're not just paranoid?" Kuwabara asked irritably.  
"I know what I heard. They must have already left," I said darkly.  
Kurama looked to me inquisitively but said nothing. Slowly, we got out and continued to get changed. Even when we split up again, I couldn't help but think someone was watching us...  
  
* * * * *  
  
"What does that fool Koenma want us to do now?" I demanded as I folded my arms over my chest.  
"Now Hiei, that's no way to speak about Koenma," Botan said gently.  
"Hn," I retorted. Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara looked to Botan expectantly for an answer. She looked at each of us nervously and then sighed.  
"Well, it's not really you Koenma is concerned about. Right now the girls are performing in the Dance Club-  
"Yukina too?" I interrupted sharply. Botan nodded slowly. I cursed Koenma under my breath, but no one seemed to hear.  
'I think he plans on you guys dancing as well, but-  
"Botan! Botan, we have a problem!" A man shouted upon running into the office.  
"Oh, Ogre, what's wrong?" Botan asked the blue monster from Spirit World. He was most often seen with Koenma, and seeing that he wasn't had to mean a major emergency.  
"Somehow these pictures have started to appear all over the ship! People are buying them everywhere!" The Ogre explained frantically. As he said this, I noticed that he was holding a manila folder in his hands.  
"What pictures?" Botan asked, just as confused as we were. Gulping, the Ogre tossed the folder onto the table causing the contents to spill out. Curiously, the five of us leaned over the table to inspect them. When I saw what they were though, my bulged and my mouth dropped open. Botan's face became a dark pink as she drew back and averted her eyes to the floor.  
"Where did you get these?!" Yusuke thundered as he scooped the pictures back into the folder.  
"Just as I said sir- they're all around the ship- people are selling them on corners, but no one knows who took them," The Ogre replied. In unison, the four of us exchanged glances. Without warning, we ran out of the room in single file, a new mission in mind. Suddenly, I recalled the noises I had heard in the hot spring.  
"Someone took pictures of us yesterday while we were changing- I heard the clicking of the camera," I exclaimed as we continued to run.  
"But why would someone do such a thing?" Kurama asked in exasperation. I glared at him out of the corner of my eye.  
"Do you know what some girls would do just to view your body Kurama? You attract girls like a lightning rod," I stated dryly. Kurama blushed.  
"Forget it guys- we need to find those pictures and fast! What if Keiko or Yukina see them?" Yusuke pointed out.  
"Or my sister!" Kuwabara added. I instantly paled as I considered this. Any girl who saw my body had to die.  
"You're right. Let's get to the bottom of this," Kurama agreed as we stopped at the dining room doors. In agreement, we pushed them open. We were surprised to see everyone crowded around the stage. Curiously, we approached it. Squeezing in-between the people, we gaped at what they were staring at- the pictures of us! What made me even angrier were the insane price tags that had been placed on them. Although high, people were lining up to buy them.  
"That's it- I'm killing them all!" I growled as I flexed my right arm. Focusing all my energy, I readied myself to summon Kokuryuha.  
"Iie Hiei!" Kurama exclaimed as he grabbed my arm.  
"Kurama, I will not allow them to demean us in this way!" I hissed. Kurama just shook his head.  
"Killing is not the way to solve this!" Kurama protested.  
"They've already seen us!" I shot back.  
"So you plan to kill Botan too?" Kurama questioned helplessly.  
"I did say all didn't I?" I replied darkly. Just then, Yusuke broke in.  
"All right everyone! Show's over! Clear the way or we will for you!" He shouted.  
Many turned to stare at us and began whispering feverishly as they moved out of the way. For people that stared at me, I met them with a cold death glare. In my mind, I dared them to say something. As soon as they did, their life would end. After making our way to the stage, Yusuke gathered up the pictures and looked to Kurama. Without warning, Yusuke threw the pictures high into the air. The crowd began to get riled up, hoping to grab a couple of the photos as they fell, but before anyone could touch them though, Kurama pulled a rose out of thin air.  
"Rose whip!" He shouted, transforming the plant into a deadly weapon. Flicking his wrist gracefully, he caused all of the pictures to be cut into ribbons. The crowd booed in disappointment, but we ignored them. We had to find the rest of the pictures as well as the ones responsible for this crime.  
"Hiei, Kurama!" Yusuke said, getting our attention. "Go throughout the ship and destroy as many pictures as you can. We'll find the person behind all this," Yusuke promised. Although I wanted to take care of the sick bastard who had done this to us, I knew this was no time to argue.  
"Let's go Kurama," I urged as I unsheathed my sword. Rose whip still in hand, Kurama followed me out of the dining room and down the halls.  
We came across many corner stores with our pictures and quickly demolished them, scaring people senseless. I was amazed at all the photos that had been produced in such a short time. Just when it seemed we had searched every nook and cranny of the blasted ship, we passed by a hall packed with people. Kurama and I stopped in unison and exchanged glances. Clenching our weapons tightly, we made our way towards the crowd. Judging by the people's excitement, pictures of us were indeed involved.  
I readied myself to attack, but froze when I heard a familiar voice. "What are these pictures that you're trying to sell?"  
"Yeah, why are they so expensive?" Another voice I recognized questioned.  
"Pay up and you'll see. You can't find pictures like this anywhere else," A gruff voice persuaded. My eyes widened to twice their normal size as the first voice said:  
"All right."  
"Kurama, that's Yukina and Keiko!" I hissed. Kurama gasped in surprise as we began pushing through the crowd. Murmurs broke out as we made our way forward, and then suddenly, I spotted Yukina and Keiko standing next to a vendor. They were accepting a package from a vile looking man- an envelope that I knew contained nude photographs of Kurama and I as well as the others. Panicking, I rushed forward. Just as Yukina opened the envelope, I threw my sword, successfully impaling it and pinning it to the ground. Surprised, Yukina and Keiko turned to look at me, just as Kurama approached the salesman. "Why hello Hiei, how are you?" Yukina questioned with a smile. "I've been better," I replied as I picked up my sword along with the pictures. Immediately, I tore them into pieces. Kurama proceeded in doing the same to the others, causing a lot of anger in the crowd as well as the girls. "Hey! We paid for those and we never even got to see them!" Keiko whined. "Good. If you had, I would have dragged you into Hades," I seethed. Keiko and Yukina blinked in astonishment while Kurama said: "There's nothing to see here everyone. Please return to your normal activities." Dismayed, people began to leave. The salesperson had run off, which wasn't surprising. Only Yukina and Keiko remained. "What's going on you guys? What were those pictures of?" Keiko asked suspiciously. As I was opening my mouth to make an excuse, Kurama answered. "Rabid demon bunnies as they were being slaughtered. We knew it would be too terrifying for you to handle," Kurama said calmly. I almost burst out laughing, but instead averted my eyes to the floor. "Rabid demon... bunnies?" Keiko repeated slowly. Kurama nodded, his face serious. "Oh... well... thank you. I'm glad I didn't see it... I like bunnies," Yukina commented. For a moment we all just stood in awkward silence. Then, a voice broke out over the intercom. "Will Hiei and Kurama please report to the captain's quarters? Thank you." "Well, me must get going. Good bye ladies," Kurama bade. In unison, the girls waved goodbye and we went our separate ways, but as soon as we turned the corner, we began to laugh. Kurama's laugh was smooth and cheerful, while mine was deep and rough. Despite this, we laughed together, amazed at what had just happened and our incredible luck. "Remind me to repay you when we leave here," I said once I stopped laughing. Kurama just nodded. Finally, we reached the captain's quarters and stepped inside. I was surprised to find Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Botan accompanied by a girl and boy- both of which looked familiar. After studying them more carefully, I recognized the man as the waiter I had harassed and the woman as Kurama's masseuse. Sitting down beside Yusuke, I looked to him for an explanation. "These are the culprits," He announced firmly. Kurama and I stared at them in astonishment. These two were responsible? Well, it made sense... but one question still remained... "How did you find them so quickly?" Kurama asked amazed. Kuwabara and Yusuke laughed uneasily. "Well... it wasn't easy, but that's not the point. These two came forward willingly, but they'll only hand over the film on one condition..." Yusuke explained. Turning to the two expectantly, we waited to hear the requirement. With the girl pointing at Kurama, and the boy pointing at me, they said: "You have to be my slave for a day." Our eyes narrowing, Kurama and retorted: "There's no way in hell."  
  
* * * * *  
Apparently, there was...  
"You promised we'd become the slaves of whoever brought back the film without our consent... and then you expect us to go through with it?" I demanded darkly.  
"Basically, yes," Yusuke agreed with a weak grin.  
"Why can't we just take the film from them?" I questioned angrily.  
"Certain laws and a bunch of crap like that. 'It's their right' or whatever," Yusuke exclaimed with a shrug of his shoulders.  
"If they are profiting off of our photos, that violates a law as well, doesn't it? Who told you that we couldn't take it from them?" I asked ominously. Yusuke shifted in his chair while the others remained silent. I didn't need an answer- I knew. "Koenma," I hissed.  
"Come on Hiei, its only one day. What's the worst that can happen? Besides, if we let them keep the film, they might publish it in more places once we get off the ship," Kurama pointed out. Frustrated, I placed my head in my hands and thought over the situation. Kurama did have a point... but if that idiot made me do anything I refused to do, I would have his head on a stick and much more before then. With a grim expression, I looked at Yusuke.  
"All right, tell them that we agree, but give them this warning; I do not take kindly to ningens- especially those that order me around," I ordered. Yusuke nodded. Together, the four of us left Botan in her office and returned to our rooms. In the dark of night, I laid in my bed.  
"Good night Hiei," Kuwabara bade tiredly. I didn't reply as I turned on my side and stared at the wall. Only three more days to go...  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Keep running. Don't stop until I tell you," He ordered smugly. I rolled my eyes as I continued to run circles around him, creating a breeze. He sat, laid out on a chair, drink in hand. I on the other hand, was garbed completely in black as the sun beat down, and truth be told, I was getting hungry... but I would never show weakness to a ningen. So, I kept running around my new, dare I even say it, 'master', while wondering how Kurama was faring. I had been woken by Botan only an hour ago to be deposited on the moron's doorstep. He had shown up in his swim trunks and led me to the deck. The waiter claimed he had a lot in store for me, but for now, he wanted to see me sweat. I couldn't help but at his idiocy. Nothing he did could possibly affect me- didn't he know that my main element was fire? When it seemed like I had been running forever, he finally motioned for me to stop. I did so, and then glared at him with all my fury. He smiled smugly, but my expression did not alter. "All right Hiei, that will suffice. Let's go to the pool." "Why in the world are we going there?" I questioned. "You're going to get me a girlfriend," The man exclaimed with a smile. I couldn't hide my surprise. "Nani? Is that why you wanted me to be your slave? You're so pathetic that you can't get your own woman?" I guessed. The waiter glared at me and then shrugged. "Partly. Mostly because you embarrassed me. I wanted you to be in debt to me so I asked my sister, that masseuse you met to help me get pictures of you. She sent a girl out to scream and distract you guys. Don't worry Hiei; I'm not going to do too much to you. I know you'd like to kill me... Just play along and make this easier on yourself," The waiter persuaded. "Hn. You could have made this easier on all of us by not taking those pictures, but you had to go and prove you were an idiot. When this is over, you can guarantee I will come after you," I promised viciously. The man glanced at me out of the corner of his eye and shrugged once more. I continued to walk beside him, my body tense. "I'm Mark, by the way," He explained. "What type of name is that?" I asked sourly. "American," He answered, his voice barely above a whisper. I was silent. Now that he mentioned it, he looked American- pale skin, blond hair, blue eyes... but I would not ask what he was doing working on a Japanese cruise ship. Finally, we reached the pool. Because it was still pretty early, there weren't many women around. I looked to Mark, curious to what he would have me do next. Mark looked to me and smiled mischievously. I looked away and rolled my eyes. This was going to be a long day.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Well, aren't you the cutest thing?" She cooed as she laid her manicured hand on my shoulder. I twitched as I hissed:  
"It'd be cute if I broke your arm."  
"What did you say cutie?" She asked surprised. Stay focused. I thought to myself.  
"Nothing. See that guy over there?" I questioned, pointing to Mark who stood a few yards away.  
"Yeah, what about him?" The blond girl before me asked.  
"He thinks you're the pinnacle of beauty although I'm not sure if I would agree with him. He's an American with poor taste and unfortunately for him, his IQ doesn't match his good looks. For this very reason, I think you'd be the perfect match for eachother," I explained flatly. The girl blinked at me before asking slowly.  
"Oh... what was your name again?" Remain calm... remain calm... she can't help it if she's stupid. I thought to myself.  
"If you value your life, go over and talk to that man," I answered shortly. The girls eyes seemed to dim.  
"But... he's not as hot as you," She said with a flutter of her eyelashes. Deciding to humor her, I answered:  
"You dare flirt with a married man?" Eyes widening in shock, she screeched:  
"You're married?!"  
"Shh," I hissed as heads began to turn. The girl's eyes began to gloss over and she placed her head in her hands.  
"Oh, I knew it! Why are all the cute guys gay?! It was only a matter of time!" She sobbed.  
"What the hell are you talking about?" I demanded in alarm. Looking up at me, her eyes red, the girl replied:  
"You and Kurama are married, right?" My eyes widened in surprise, then quickly narrowed in anger. Before I told her off though, an idea popped into my head. Mark wouldn't let me take a break until I got him a girl... perhaps I could use her stupidity to my advantage.  
"Yes, we're married, but not many people know. That guy is trying to... uh... steal Kurama away from me. That's why I need you to keep him occupied," I persuaded, nearly choking on my words.  
"Aww... that is so romantic! Okay sweety, I'll help you," She said with a smile. I watched in relief as she got to her feet and made her way over to Mark. They exchanged a few words and smiled. Mark looked over to me with a stunned look and a goofy grin. Slowly, I approached them.  
"Hiei, how did you get her to like me?" Mark whispered.  
"Call it demon charm," I exclaimed with an evil smirk.  
"Well... thanks man... you know, I've always dreamed of having a girl like this. You're free to go now," Mark explained. I couldn't believe my ears. Were all humans this gullible?  
"Wise choice. Just remember, as soon as this cruise is over, I'm coming after you," I stated, glaring at Mark. Mark smiled, something that baffled me. Did he think I was joking?  
"Okay. I'll be ready with more black mail," He promised. A vein popped under my black hair.  
"Do that, and I may kill you. If you don't give back those photographs I will kill you," I exclaimed. Mark nodded. Seeing that I was free to go, I left the deck and headed in the direction of the dining hall. I could use some food before I returned to my room. When I reached the doors to the dining room though, I didn't have the chance to open them, for just then, someone came running around the corner.  
He was wearing hardly anything- just a small white towel around his waist, and he was completely soaked. What appeared to be whipped cream was dripping down his chest... then I realized, the man was none other than Kurama. As he ran past me, I shouted:  
"Oi, kitsune!" Screeching to halt, he turned to me. Instantly, his eyes flooded with relief. Running up to me he said:  
"Hiei, you have to hide me! That woman is insane! She sent me to get some chocolate, but I have to get away from her!" He said feverishly. I couldn't help but smile.  
"The great Kurama has woman trouble?" I questioned teasingly.  
"Hiei, I'm serious! Onegai!" He pleaded. I shook my head.  
"If you don't do as that baka says, we'll never get those photos back," I reminded him. To my surprise, Kurama's eyes narrowed and he grabbed me by the shoulder. I felt his nails dig into my skin and I flinched.  
"Hiei, even you would not obey her. She wants more from me than just companionship," He hinted viciously. The look in Kurama's eyes startled me. It was if he had turned Yoko.  
"All right, I'll assist you, but you owe me," I agreed. Almost immediately, Kurama returned to normal.  
"Arigatou! Arigatou gozaimasu!" Kurama thanked me.  
"Hn."  
The first thing we did was return to my room. For some reason, Kurama couldn't return to his. He said that the woman, Angela was her name, would come looking for him there... so, he would have to borrow some of my black pants.  
I sat on my bed while Kurama showered. When he finally came out, a larger towel wrapped around him, I threw him a pair of pants. I turned away as he started to slip them on. Finally, he had them on, but they seemed a little tight. He began to pull up the zipper, but stopped half way. I could hear footsteps outside, but ignored them.  
"What's wrong Kurama?" I questioned impatiently.  
"It's stuck," He exclaimed as he began moving the zipper up and down.  
"Well, pull harder," I ordered. In the back of my mind, I noticed that the footsteps had stopped.  
"I can't Hiei- it's too hard. Can you help me?" Kurama asked.  
"Do I have to do everything? Okay, fine. I'll pull, you just hold still," I instructed. Walking over to Kurama, I pulled on the zipper with all my strength, but it wouldn't budge. Annoyed, I put some of my ki into the zipper, warming the metal and loosing it.  
"Ow, Hiei! That hurts!" Kurama yelped, sucking in his stomach to get away from the hot metal.  
"Hold still Kurama- I'm almost finished," I growled in frustration. Putting some more heat into it, I pulled. Kurama yelped again as the zipper touched his stomach, and pulled away violently, causing me to move forward with him. A second later, we fell backwards onto the bed- I was on top of Kurama and glared at him angrily. Just then, the door swung open, revealing Yusuke and Kuwabara.  
The two boys stared at us in awe, their eyes wide. Feverishly, I got off of him, and Kurama blushed in embarrassment.  
"How long have you been listening?" I hissed angrily.  
Yusuke and Kuwabara looked to eachother and grinned. "It's stuck," Yusuke said, mimicking Kurama.  
"Well, pull harder!" Kuwabara answered. The two broke out laughing as I reddened in anger. They had heard it all, and I knew that with their minds, a zipper was the last thing they would think of.  
"Don't worry Hiei, we won't ask. See you later!" Yusuke bade. With that, the two went down the hall, laughing and carrying on before I had the chance to vent my rage. I looked at Kurama, who smiled sheepishly.  
"Well, it isn't stuck anymore!" He said cheerfully.  
"Shut up!" I snapped.  
  
* * * * * Throughout the day, Kurama and I wandered the ship, keeping out of people's way and staying in the shadows. We didn't see Angela or Mark, and then finally, dinner time was upon us. Together, Kurama and I returned to the dining hall and found a table. "Thanks Hiei, I appreciate it," Kurama said as we got our food. I just shrugged. "It's not very often that you need rescuing Kurama. I find your situation quite amusing," I stated with a small smile. "I thought you would," Kurama replied with a hint of sarcasm. We ate in silence, acknowledging one another with our spirit energy. It was good to be free again. "Kura-kun! There you are!" A grating voice rang out. Kurama choked on his food and lurched forward to promptly spit it out. After wiping his mouth, we both turned to see Angela the masseuse coming towards us. Kurama looked to me worriedly. I had never seen him act this way because of a human and it disturbed me. Was she as terrible as he made her out to be? What type of power did she possess to make him avoid her completely? I couldn't detect any spirit energy coming from her... perhaps she was a demon in disguise. When she came to our table, I tensed and glared at her. "Kura-kun, you never came back with my chocolate. I got worried. Where have you been? Come back to the room this instant," She ordered. Kurama opened his mouth, but I spoke first. "I have no clue how you are torturing Kurama, but if you want to harm him any further, you have to get through me as well," I challenged her darkly. The girl stared at me in surprise before she began to laugh. "I'm not torturing him silly! We're pleasuring ourselves. I have gone too long without a night of fun and Kurama is the ideal boy toy. Come on Kura, we don't want to be late," She answered. My eyebrows furrowed. Boy toy? She was merely playing with Kurama? I looked to the fox youkai with questioning eyes. He still appeared to be nervous. Something wasn't right. "I don't care. Either way, you'll have to go through me first," I repeated. At this, the girl's eyes narrowed. "He is my slave unless you no longer want the film, so he has to do as I say. Now, if he doesn't come with me, you'll be seeing your pictures all over Japan," She hissed. "You'll be dead before you can get off this ship, so that's highly unlikely," I shot back. "Hiei..." Kurama trailed. Before anyone could say anymore, a new voice broke in. "Leave those two alone!" It pleaded. Curiously, the three of us looked in the direction of the voice. I was astonished to see the girl from earlier- Mark's new girlfriend. "And why should I?" Angela demanded. "Not many people know, but those two are married. It'd be wrong to come between them," She explained. Kurama took on a deadpan expression as he slowly turned to me. "Miss, you're mistaken, Hiei and I-" Before he could get the words out though, I nudged Kurama hard in the ribs. He stopped and looked at me in disbelief. Play along idiot. I thought, praying that'd he'd understand. If he wanted to save himself, he needed to become a better actor. "Hiei and I are only engaged," Kurama finished slowly. "Well, it's still wrong!" Mark's girlfriend declared. Angela looked at the two of us suspiciously. Buy it bitch. Believe it and walk away before I'm forced to hurt you. I thought quietly. But to my dismay, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I don't believe you. If you're really engaged, prove it!" She exclaimed. This woman was beginning to get on my last nerve. How did she expect us to prove something like that? Especially since... it wasn't true. "What would you like us to do?" Kurama questioned weakly. With an evil grin, Angela said: "Kiss eachother." "Nani?" I asked. "On the lips." "Nani?!" We repeated together. "If you're really engaged, you must love eachother. Kiss eachother and I promise I'll leave Kurama alone," She promised smugly. Forget it- I'd just kill her now. Reaching for my hidden katana, I prepared myself to attack, but before I got a chance, Kurama leaned over and pressed his lips against mine. I gasped in surprise, only to inhale some of his saliva. I coughed, but it was muffled by Kurama's body. After what seemed like forever, he broke away and turned to Angela. "Satisfied?" He asked calmly. Angela, her eyes wide, just nodded. Reaching into her pocket, she handed Kurama a bottle used for film. Without a word, she turned and walked away. Winking at me flirtatiously, Mark's girlfriend did the same. I turned to Kurama, my eyes twice their normal size and my mouth open. I couldn't believe what had just happened. If he refused to kill me, I'd do it myself for the embarrassment was too much to bear. I had been kissed by my best friend... but not on the cheek, or on accident- on the lips. "Kur..a...ma..." I trailed, unsure of what to say. "Sorry Hiei, I really am, but I was desperate," Kurama apologized. "Right... I understand," I said in a daze of some sort. Suddenly, I felt like I was going to be sick. Getting up from the table, I hurried out of the room and over to the rail of the boat. Disregarding everything around me, I threw up over the rail and stared down at the crashing waves below. I couldn't forget the way it felt to have Kurama's lips against mine. "Disgusting. Does he really have so much spit in his mouth? He could have drowned me!" I fumed angrily. Truthfully, I wasn't mad at Kurama, just surprised. He had caught me completely off guard... but most of all, I had never expected him to do what the woman asked. I closed my eyes and tried not to think of what had just occurred. Kurama hadn't followed. For that, I was grateful. All I wanted to do now was sleep. With my stomach churning, I returned to the room I shared with Kuwabara and plopped down on the soft mattress. "I am not gay!" I yelled into my pillow angrily.  
"Good to hear it," A voice teased. I turned to see Kuwabara walk into the room.  
"Quiet you- I never asked for your opinion," I snapped. Kuwabara smiled before walking into the bathroom. Shutting my eyes tightly, I crawled under the covers and thought of Japan. I missed sleeping in the trees, the silence of being alone and killing demons to pass the time. I missed my relatively normal life, and I hated being stuck on this cruise with humans.  
"What's the point of dying? I'm already in hell," I realized. With that, I fell asleep.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Hiei, wake up," A soft voice prodded.  
"What is it?" I questioned groggily. I had gotten a good night's sleep, but I still felt sick. Seeing Yukina improved my mood, but not by much.  
"The main event today is 'bands'. The boys were wondering if you could play bass guitar and sing," She explained. I blinked at her before sitting up.  
"What time is it?" I questioned.  
"Ten o'clock," She answered.  
"Where are they?" I wondered.  
"They're in the main theater. It has a big stage where the bands will be performing," Yukina explained.  
"Fine, I'll go, but only because I have nothing better to do," I agreed. Yukina nodded and smiled.  
"All right, see you later," My sister bade as she left the room. Tiredly, I got out of bed, looked at the map of the ship and took off for the main theater.  
When I finally arrived in the large auditorium, I saw a couple of different groups with instruments that were turning and warming up. Too lazy to look around, I opened my Jagan eye and used it to find Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama. The three were sitting in a far corner. Yusuke was warming up his vocals while Kurama strummed on his guitar and Kuwabara beat on the drums. Just as I was about to head towards them though, someone jumped into my Jagan vision. Startled, I tripped backwards, shutting my third eye abruptly.  
I now faced a giggling Botan. "Kisama! What do you want? Unless you have a death wish, don't do that again!" I instructed grumpily. As I got to my feet Botan smiled and said:  
"I'm judging the bands! Teehee. Hiei, I saw hat you and Kurama did yesterday. It was so sweet- I just had to take a picture!" She giggled. Eyes flashing, I pulled out my katana and placed it to her throat, causing her to gasp.  
"Don't joke, or you die. If anyone finds out about that kiss, I'll kill you," I threatened. Instantly, the girl's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.  
"Kiss? I was talking about the whole zipper thing. Koenma has cameras you know. What's this kiss you mentioned?" She asked curiously.  
"Forget it," I seethed. Leaving Botan clueless, I made my way over to my companions. They looked up as I approached and greeted me.  
"Hey Hiei! You came!" Yusuke stated happily.  
"Yeah, we didn't think you'd want to," Kuwabara added.  
"Hn," I replied. At this, Kurama looked to me, his expression troubled. I nodded to him to show I wasn't angry and he relaxed. Without direction, I walked over to my red bass guitar that the others had brought along. Putting the strap over my shoulder, I strummed a few chords with my bare fingers and smiled. Out of everything in the human world, only this guitar had ever interested me- that, and the sweet snow called ice cream. For some reason, this piece of metal and strings calmed me. I hadn't really come for Yusuke and the others- I had come to soothe my own soul. To forget about the events of the past few days...  
"Earth to Hiei!" Yusuke exclaimed, interrupting my thoughts as I played a tune on my guitar.  
"Huh?" I asked, looking to the others.  
"He wasn't listening," Kuwabara sighed.  
"We were discussing what song we should play," Yusuke explained.  
"I think we should do something no one has heard, that way, our fans will enjoy it," Kurama suggested.  
"Always thinking of our ningen fans," I muttered. Kurama glanced at me, but said nothing.  
"I think it's a good idea," Kuwabara piped up.  
"Well, then, I definitely think we should do something else. Kuwabara having a good idea is like saying a goldfish discovered how to fly," I retorted sarcastically.  
"Just because you don't think it's good doesn't mean we shouldn't do it!" Kuwabara argued.  
"Yeah, come on Hiei. Let's do something new," Yusuke persuaded.  
"Whatever. Just don't expect much," I stated with a sigh.  
"It's settled then! Well, let's get cracking," Yusuke announced. I could tell that this was going to be another long day.  
  
* * * * *  
  
By half past four, we were the only band left in the theater. Botan brought us some food, which was quickly devoured by the four of us. We had finished our song, and all that was left was to distribute the lyrics. Like usual, Kurama and Yusuke had partnered up to create the verses to the new tune. When Kurama handed me my piece, I stared at it quizzically.  
"Why are you giving me the most lyrics?" I asked suspiciously.  
"Trust me, the crowd will love you," Kurama assured me with a smile. I rolled my eyes at him to show my disapproval.  
"I don't know who to trust anymore, but if you embarrass me, I'll rip out your voice box as a warning," I vowed.  
"Haven't you said something like that to me before?" Kurama asked with a grin.  
"Something like that," I agreed darkly.  
"All right, go ahead and practice your parts. We perform at nine o'clock tonight," Yusuke stated. Immediately, we went our separate ways. I carried my guitar to the lower deck where no one could be seen. If I went back to my room, Kuwabara would be there as well, practicing on his drums. There was no way I could concentrate with all of his noise.  
I practiced my part over and over until I could finally perform it perfectly without glancing at the music. The lyrics however, were another matter. "Kurama, what were you thinking?" I asked myself. We'd see if his ideas paid off.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The noise of the crowd was deafening as Botan addressed them. To my knowledge, five different bands had been permitted to compete due to time issues. Two groups I did not recognize would perform before us, and two after. The last band perked my interest- it was three girls. And then, as Botan explained further, I realized that it was none other than Tomoyo, Corri, and Kara. I couldn't help but laugh. What could those three possibly hope to accomplish?  
Besides that, I knew none of the others, nor did I care about them. The four of us had all changed back into our costumes, and I did not feel like hanging around. We stood behind stage as the first band warmed up. The lights were dimmed and different color spotlights were pointed at the performers. Growing impatient, I turned to Kurama and said:  
"I'll be back." He looked to me and nodded. Kurama knew better than to question me. While no one was watching, I jumped up into the rafters above me and walked along them till I was directly over the stage. I watched from the shadows and couldn't help but think to myself, I have the best seat any of those stupid ningens could ever hope for.  
Finally, it was time to start. Botan came up to the microphone and introduced the first band before walking off the stage. The group consisted of five people, all of which were boys. They dressed in black and had spiked hair, chains, and other strange accessories. There were three singers, all whom played a different kind of guitar, plus a drummer and a keyboardist.  
Although they played well, their lyrics were poor and barely audible. Yawning, I stretched out on my stomach and placed my head on the wooden beam as the next band got up to play. Strangely enough, this one was made up of all girls- tall, pale girls in bikinis that all played guitar. When they started to play, adding their own parts one at a time, I was surprised by their skill. As they started to sing though, I was astonished by their voices. These ningens could sing- and sing well. As they ended, I was filled with passion. The passion to defeat them. I would not be shown up by a group of ningen females.  
I saw Kurama, Kuwabara and Yusuke step out underneath me, and the crowd roared in approval. Seeing that Kurama was holding my guitar, I dropped down beside him. The noise increased and I smiled smugly. Taking my instrument from Kurama, I slipped my strap over my shoulder and took my position on the left side of the stage. Kuwabara sat at the drums, and Kurama went with his electric guitar to the right. Yusuke took center stage and grabbed the main microphone.  
Then, Botan came up and handed me, Kurama and Kuwabara head sets with their own individual mics. Quietly, I slipped mine on, tapping it twice to make sure that the sound registered in the speakers. Hooking up my guitar, I strummed a few chords and heard the note's hum out over the sound system. The others all tested their instruments and microphones as well. When everything had been checked, Yusuke began to speak.  
"Hey everybody, we're going to rock your socks off! We created a new song just for you guys and worked our butts off, so enjoy!" As he finished, he looked to Kuwabara and nodded.  
Immediately, Kuwabara began to set a beat on the snare, alternating with closed cymbal. It was a fast beat, with snare hitting every second, the third beat being the cymbal. Suddenly, Kurama began to play on his guitar, starting low and quickly climbing to high notes. After he had gone up and down a few different scales, he strummed the fast tune that served as the melody for our song. Two high notes, a low note, a middle note, and another high. The first notes went fast, and the next two were held longer- the last was strummed hard and held in the air. The beat kept on, but the there was now no guitar. As Yusuke readied to sing, I began my part, two alternating low notes that accompanied Kuwabara's rhythm.  
"The darkness... it swirls all around me and I can't escape. The darkness... how can it be, when you're with me, there's no sun?" Yusuke sang. To answer, Kurama began to melody on his guitar while singing in reply.  
"Don't lie to me, all I see is the light, is that your way of saying you hate me?" As Kurama's voice drifted thought the air, Kuwabara broke out.  
"Maybe it wasn't meant to be..." Taking a deep breath, I stopped strumming and sang.  
"If you're not sure, prove your love to me--... tonight."  
Instantly, the stage lit up, and the beat got faster. Kurama and I began playing our harmony parts- his high, and mine low. Kuwabara was drumming on all of his percussion and just as we finished our pieces, he hit the hanging cymbal hard. Together, we sang while playing:  
"Tonight may be the night. Who knows what it holds? Just come, hold me close, we can work it out. Each day our love grows. Prove it to me—tonight!" The drums faded as Kuwabara returned to the original beat. Kurama softly played the melody as I strummed the accompaniment on my guitar.  
*Author's Note- I personally wrote this song*  
"So what now? Will this darkness ever fade, will we see another day? Help me, I don't know what to do..." Yusuke exclaimed.  
"We can do it. We must work together if we want to see forever, so please try. Grab my hand..." Kurama replied.  
"Grab my hand," Kuwabara echoed.  
"And fly," I finished as the beat kicked up again. At this time, Kurama and I moved to the center of the stage beside Yusuke, and while facing away from eachother, played the melody.  
Kurama and I sang another version of the chorus together, saying: "Tonight may be the night. Who knows what it holds? Just come, fly with me. We can work it out, each day our friendship grows. Prove it to me- tonight!"  
While we went on playing the main tune, Yusuke and Kuwabara echoed our words. Then, kicking up the beat once more, we started towards the end.  
  
"I don't know what the future holds," Yusuke began,  
"And I don't know about you," Kurama answered.  
"But I want to keep going on," Kuwabara added.  
"Fighting towards the end- Kurama stated.  
"Fighting towards the end- Yusuke echoed.  
"Fighting towards the end- Kuwabara exclaimed.  
"Tonight- tonight-------------- I finished as the others joined in. Climbing up and down the scales, we reached the finale of our song. Kuwabara beat mercilessly on the drums and ended with a cymbal crash.  
The crowd roared loudly in approval. I watched as the others bowed, but I remained motionless. Finally, we gathered our stuff and walked off the stage, allowing the next band to get up. I turned to leave, but before I got out of the room, Kurama grabbed my shoulder.  
"We should stay Hiei, Tomoyo and the others have entered as well," Kurama pointed out.  
"So? They're ningens as well, why should we watch them?" I asked stubbornly. Kurama smiled.  
"Come on. We'll see if they're any good," He persuaded.  
"Might as well. The judging happens after everyone performs, so I guess I'll stay and see who wins," I agreed in a bored tone. Kurama's smile brightened as he slipped off his guitar and turned to watch the upcoming band. Once again, I jumped into the rafters to watch. This 'band' was actually I duet- a boy and girl, both on electric guitar. I lost interest half way through their song. It was too slow, and their voices grated on my nerves. Finally, they finished and left the stage.  
I saw Corri, Tomoyo, and Kara step up. To my surprise, Corri had a guitar, Tomoyo was carrying a harp, and Kara held a... harmonica? That's the strangest combination of instruments I've ever seen. I thought to myself. I watched curiously as Tomoyo went to the left, Kara to the right, and Corri to the center. They all had microphones set before them. Because the harp was as big as she was, Tomoyo pulled up a stool and sat down. Kara stood, as did Corri. Her guitar wasn't electric, but a black acoustic. This was pathetic. How did they expect to impress the crowd with that sort of ensemble?  
"Hello everyone, I'm Corri, and these are my best friends, Kara and Tomoyo. We'll be performing one song for you tonight, and although we don't expect to win, we hope you enjoy it," Inu-ko said as she spoke into the microphone. With that, they began. First, Tomoyo plucked the strings on her harp, creating a soothing tune. Then, Corri jumped in, accompanying her with her own melody. Finally, Kara played her harmonica- a lively tune. That added onto both of the girl's previous melodies. While the music played, Corri began to sing.  
*Author's Note- This song was written by my best friend, Kara*  
  
"Here I stand, alone  
  
As the music plays  
  
While I watch you with her  
  
I think, 'Things will never be the same'."  
As Corri's soothing voice faded, Tomoyo picked up the slack.  
  
"I catch your eye, you smile  
  
You whisper over her shoulder  
'Wait for me'  
And you know I'll stay for eternity."  
This time, both Corri and Tomoyo sang.  
  
"If you'll  
  
Save the last dance for me  
Save the last dance for me  
Please  
Save the last dance for me."  
Yet again, Corri started to sing, and I noticed that the girls were alternating verses with the exception of the chorus.  
"I take your hand  
Wondering if I should  
You reassure me once more  
What have I gotten myself into?."  
"This feeling  
It won't let me breathe  
But I like it  
So I'm asking you now-"  
"Please save the last dance for me  
Save the last dance for me  
I'll do most anything if you  
Save the last dance for me."  
"The music has ended  
And so has life, as I knew it  
When the band restarts  
You hold me and say, 'Again'."  
"I murmur back, 'Not yet'  
Even though I don't want to  
I hear myself whisper, 'I can't'  
And I run away, run away."  
"I'm going against everything  
I've ever wanted  
Just because I'm afraid to be happy  
I'm gonna turn back, I'm ready now."  
"When I finally find you  
You're with her again  
But I'll wait patiently  
For as long as needed."  
"Because you promised that you'd  
  
Save the last dance for me  
Save the last dance for me  
Please  
Save the last dance  
Save the last dance for me  
You know I'll do most anything  
So save your last dance for me."  
"Soon enough, I'm in your arms  
For the second time  
Hoping that I won't ever have to leave  
Happy in the one true fact that you  
Saved the last dance for me..."  
Although the song was fairly slow and mellow, it stirred my heart. The music was haunting and soulful. As the girls took a bow, the crowd cheered. Botan took the stage, and once things quieted down, began to speak.  
"Well, that was quite a show! But as you know, there can only be one winner! This is how it works- I have a new gadget called an Approval Meter- the louder you clap or cheer, the higher the rating. We're going to narrow it down until we only have one band left," Botan exclaimed. "We'll start with our first two bands..." She trailed. Out of the first two groups, the crowd cheered loudest for the group of girls. Then, we were pitted against the fourth band. Of course, we won. Then, Corri's group and the second band were judged. Corri's group was the more popular, but only by barely, which surprised me.  
Now was the real test- our group against the three girls. First, people cheered for Corri and her friends, then ours. We all watched in anticipation, curious to see who would be declared the winner.  
"It's... a tie!" Botan said in surprise.  
"Nani?" Everyone questioned in amazement.  
"The meter reads even," Botan said helplessly. A moment later, the crowd was in an uproar. Even I was angry. How could she say we were both the champions? I would not share a title with a group of humans. Especially not female ningens! "All right, all right everyone, calm down!" Botan pleaded. "Let's settle this with a duel shall we?" She suggested. Grinning wildly, I dropped down from the rafters and onto the stage. I unsheathed my sword and said:  
"Now you've got my attention. Which one of those ningens do I get to right?" As I said this, Kurama, Kuwabara, and Yusuke ran up beside me.  
"Oh, not a physical duel Hiei! I mean a duel of musicians!" Botan explained. "Pick three people from your team to go up against the girls and then whoever wins the most duels will be declared the winner," Botan went on.  
"Fine. But who is going to be the judge?" Yusuke wondered.  
"Me of course!" A voice exclaimed. As Tomoyo, Kara, and Corri walked over to us, we all turned to see Koenma step onto the stage.  
"A toddler is going to decide who the better musician is? Great!" Yusuke seethed.  
"That's Mr. Toddler to you!" Koenma snapped as he turned into his teenage form. Cleaning his throat, he said: "Yusuke, we'll need Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei. You're not playing an instrument."  
"All right, fine! I see how it is," Yusuke fumed as he stomped off the stage. Moments later, he disappeared into the crowd.  
"Well then. Shall we begin? Hiei, you can go against Kara, Kuwabara, you can against Tomoyo, and Kurama, you're with Corri. All right, who wants to go first?" Koenma asked.  
"I will," Kara and I both decided.  
"Okay. Begin whenever you're ready," Koenma instructed. Strapping on my bass guitar, I waited till Kara was ready. I began with some basic chords- a small tune that had been stuck in my head. To my surprise, Kara mimicked my notes, only on a higher octave. This time, I played a more complex piece, but again, the girl matched me note for note. Taking on the offensive, Kara played her own piece After listening carefully, I put all three parts together to create one song. The crowd applauded loudly. Suddenly, Kara did the same, this time adding on, then she began again. I joined in with her and soon we were played a heated duet. We went on, letting the music flow between us. It appeared that we were both adept musicians.  
Finally, we stopped, looking to Koenma for his verdict. Silence filled the theater until he said: "This battle is a draw." Although I wasn't happy, I said nothing. Kara was a worthy adversary... as a musician. The crowd seemed divided, but the decision had been made. I stepped away, allowing Kuwabara to drag his drums forward. As Corri backed off, Tomoyo took her place.  
"Begin!" Koenma declared. Instantly, Tomoyo started to play on the harp, her small, delicate hands moving gracefully across the strings. The girl was impressive as well. Although she appeared shy and reserved, she had no problem performing in front of large crowds. The beautiful notes filled the air, and then suddenly stopped. A few seconds later, Kuwabara began to play the drums, creating a catchy beat. At least the buffoon was good at something, but in contrast to Tomoyo's performance, he was weak, not to mention mediocre.  
"The winner is Tomoyo!" Koenma declared, causing the crowd to cheer.  
"Hey! You didn't give me time to unleash my secret weapon!" Kuwabara protested. Koenma just shrugged. "Man, this is whack," He grumbled as he moved out of the way. Bowing to the crowd, Tomoyo did the same.  
Now it would be Corri vs. Kurama. This would be interesting. I knew Kurama was highly skilled. He had been playing guitar longer than I had. I learned everything from him and it was highly unlikely that Corri would best him, but I had not seen her perform solo, so that remained to be seen.  
  
"All right, this is the final round. The Yu Yu team needs to win one to tie. If they do win, we'll have a tiebreaker. Begin," Koenma instructed.  
  
Kurama wasted no time in going through the many notes that he knew. His hands moved effortlessly up the guitar neck and back down. The electric flare of his guitar created a hard-hitting feeling that washed over the audience. When Kurama finished, I looked to Corri. She played something on her acoustic guitar that wasn't as extensive, but good in its own right. It was an impressive combination of notes that created a peaceful, relaxing mood.  
Kurama answered, this time changing his approach. Instead of using his pick, he plucked at the strings freehand. He performed an intricate piece that only some of the best guitarists could perform. I knew Corri didn't stand a chance. Slowly, Corri replied, going up and down the neck of the guitar. Then, there was silence.  
"And the inner is Kurama!" Koenma announced. The audience applauded excitedly, but now a new problem arose. We needed a tie breaker. Once the crowd finally settled down, Koenma began to speak.  
"Well, it seems we must have a tie breaker. Botan, bring up the box," Koenma ordered. Immediately, Botan came forward, a small black box in hand. There was a hole on the top, but I could not see inside. "All right, everyone reach into this box and pull out a ball," Koenma explained. Botan passed the box around and we all did as we had been told. I wondered if this would decide our tie breaker. "Okay, now look at your ball. Does any of them say winner?" Koenma asked.  
"Yes. Mine does," Kurama agreed, showing his ball to Koenma for verification.  
"All right, the winner is the Yu Yu team! Congratulations," Koenma declared.  
"What?" We all demanded in disbelief. The winners had been decided by a drawing?  
"This isn't fair!" Corri exclaimed angrily. Even though I favored our band, I had to agree. It was worst than playing Janken.  
"Sorry, that's life. You'll receive your prizes later," Koenma explained as he left the theater. I assumed that he wanted to leave before angry onlookers attacked him.  
"Wonderful performance ladies, I'm sorry that it ended like this," Kurama apologized.  
"Don't worry Kurama, you guys deserved it. See you later," Tomoyo bade. In agreement, we all went our separate ways. Soon, the theater began to empty out. A few minutes later, I was back in my room and on my bed once again. Another day had passed. After tomorrow, I would finally return to Nihongo. Japan, don't sink into the sea... I can not live on this ship any longer...  
  
* * * * *  
"Rise and shine sleeping beauty!" An obnoxious voice sang. Instinctively, I reached out towards the voice and fired off some of my ki. Opening my eyes, I saw Yusuke as he waved away the smoke caused by my attack. "Are you always this grumpy in the morning?" He asked with a grin.  
"Hn," I replied as I slipped out of bed. Realizing that I was still in my costume, I quickly went into the bathroom to change. Once I was finished, I came back out. Yusuke seemed to be waiting for me. "Why did you wake me?" I questioned annoyed.  
"To bug you of course! No, seriously Hiei, I have a reason- relax. We're all going to the Dessert Bar. Wanna come along?" Yusuke wondered.  
"Dessert? That's what you woke me for. You're an idiot- why would I want dessert this early in the morning. Fine then- seeing that you already woke me up, I'll go, but next time you wake me, I'll be having your head for desert," I muttered. Yusuke just smiled.  
"All right then- let's go," He continued. Slightly disgruntled, I followed Yusuke to a part of the ship I hadn't yet visited. It was tucked away in a far corner of the vessel, but appeared quite crowded. When we finally reached two doors labeled: Dessert Bar, Yusuke pushed them open and stepped inside. The room was large- identical to the dining hall with the exception of the stage. Also, tables were lined up all around the room, overflowing with all the desserts you could imagine. The selection ranged from cake, to ice cream, to chocolate, and more. Human pleasure foods. I thought as I scoffed.  
"Hello Hiei. Nice of you to join us," A voice exclaimed. Looking to my right, I spotted Kurama along with Kuwabara and Yukina. (Of course, my sister was six feet away from the orange-haired moron.)  
"Hn," I said, nodding to Kurama. Smiling, the fox youkai handed me an empty plate.  
"Get whatever you want and then have a seat. You can get as much as you please," Kurama explained. I shook me head in understanding before walking away from the others. Slowly, I went from table to table, inspecting the food and taking things I found interesting. When my plate was overflowing with sweets, I found the table where Kurama was sitting and sat beside him.  
Kurama was currently eating a slice of chocolate cake. Silently, I started on the chocolates. Then the cake, ice cream, and pie. I was starting to get full when Yusuke and Kuwabara suddenly sat down. Yukina was forced to sit at another table due to the restraining order I had placed on her and Kuwabara.  
They too were stuffing their faces with desserts. Finally, I finished and got up to leave, but before I could, Yusuke threw something at me. Using my lightning reflexes, I caught it in mid air. It was a chocolate.  
"Nanda?" I asked, glaring at him.  
"Eat it Hiei- it's one of the best," Yusuke urged. I stared at him suspiciously and then looked at the candy. It looked like a normal chocolate. Shrugging nonchalantly, I popped the chocolate into my mouth and ate it. To my surprise, it was both bitter and sweet. "Was it good?" Yusuke questioned.  
"Mediocre," I replied as I started to leave.  
"See ya Hiei. Hey you're coming to the dance competition tonight, right?" Yusuke yelled after me.  
"We'll see," I replied without turning around.  
"Okay, we'll come get you," Yusuke went on. I didn't answer- I was already out the door. When I got to my room, I sat down on my bed. The dance competition was in the evening, but I was not going to enter. I wasn't tired, but there was no point in sitting here when I knew Kuwabara would return later.  
Finally, I decided on going onto the deck, but as soon as I got up, I felt my body sway. Startled, I sat back down. A few minutes later, my head began to throb and my vision blurred. Placing my head in my hands, I closed my eyes and tried to relax. It didn't work. Soon, I had a stomachache as well. Suddenly, everything went dark.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Ugh... my head," I moaned as I opened my eyes. To my surprise, I found Kurama leaning over me. I was no longer in my room, but in a hospital bed. I quickly assumed that the cruise ship had an infirmary.  
"How are you feeling?" Kurama asked gently.  
"Like shit," I muttered as I closed my eyes. I heard Kurama laugh and my head throbbed even more.  
"What happened?" I asked.  
"Well, you went skinny dipping in the pool, teepeed the hallways, flooded the bathrooms, and slept with three different girls..."  
"NANI?" I demanded, sitting up in alarm. I sat up so fast that the room spun and I had to lie back down.  
"I'm only joking. You blacked out. The doctor thinks it was because of the large amount of alcohol in your system," Kurama explained.  
"I didn't have any sake today. I know that for a fact, and I've never drank enough to black out," I stated firmly. Kurama appeared perplexed.  
"Somehow, alcohol got into you body," Kurama replied. Lying back on the bed, I closed my eyes and thought. It couldn't have been something I drank, so perhaps it was something I... ate? Just then, I recalled the chocolate Yusuke had given me. Anger swelled up within me. If he had indeed put something in it, he was as good as dead.  
"Yusuke gave me chocolate," I exclaimed abruptly. Kurama's eyes widened and then suddenly, he chuckled. Eventually, his chuckle became a loud laugh that filled the whole room. "What?" I asked in irritation.  
"Hiei, the chocolate Yusuke gave you was probably liquor chocolate- they're dipped in pure alcohol and then covered in layers of chocolate," He explained. I blinked in surprise. Pure alcohol? But why couldn't I smell it? I should have been able to at least notice it! Suddenly, I felt very foolish. Ignoring my current state, I got to my feet. Swaying a little, I turned to Kurama.  
"Where is he?" I demanded as I left the room at a fast pace.  
"He's at the dance competition- it's about to start," Kurama explained. I slowed to a walk.  
"The dance competition? What time is it?" I asked amazed.  
"Six thirty," Kurama answered promptly.  
"Chikuso!" I cursed angrily. It was too late to fight him now. I had been out for a while.  
"I need to go too- I'm competing as well," Kurama went on.  
"Then so shall I," I stated before I could stop myself. Kurama looked to me in surprise but said nothing. Together, we made our way to the dance hall for the main event of the night.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Just like when we battled against other bands, there was a large crowd stretched out before the stage. On the stage, were a dozen different machines. I recognized them as DDR booths from the human arcades. Yusuke and Kuwabara sometimes played against eachother using them. Were we going to be using the booths for the dance competition?  
"Hello everybody, and welcome to our last cruise event- the Dance Dance Revolution Competition! Anyone is allowed to try, but only the top twelve dancers will go on to the second round. Will all participants please get on the stage," Koenma instructed as he grabbed the microphone . After exchanging glances, Kurama and I along with a large group of people got on the stage. "All right- everyone get into a dance booth. There are instructions inside that you can follow. I will tell you when to begin," Koenma added.  
"Good luck Hiei," Kurama said as he picked a booth. I nodded as I entered the booth beside him. Thankfully, I wasn't forced to look at the crowd. All I saw was the TV screen before me as well as a few buttons. I stood on the dancing bad which had four arrows- one facing down, one up, and one left and right. I had seen this game played before. You had to hit the arrows according to the order they appeared on the screen. If you did exactly as the screen said, your body would move in unison with the beat. There were different levels of difficulty resulting in speed changes and several varying amounts of arrow combinations.  
Seeing a paper glued to the wall on my left, I read it silently. 'Enter your name using the button on the panel in front of you. Your name and score will be displayed at the end of each level on your screen as well as on the big screen for the crowd to see.' Doing as it instructed, I used the buttons on the panel to make up the Japanese characters of my name. Then, I pressed enter to confirm it. I watched until the screen loaded to reveal the DDR main menu. Right now, it displayed the names of the contestants. Everyone had zeroes next to their names- no one had played yet so we had no points to boast of. "All right, we'll begin the preliminary round in five...four...three...two...one!" Koenma exclaimed. Instantly, the screen changed to list the name of the song we would be dancing to along with the difficulty. I smirked. This was an easy level. Some instructions flashed across the screen and I read them silently. Finally, they disappeared and a colorful background popped up. I smiled when I realized Mt. Hiei was in the back of the picture. Abruptly, arrows began flying up the screen. I stepped on them as they lined up with their silhouettes. Everything was quiet with the exception of the quirky music and the moving of feet. There were only a few occasions when I missed an arrow, but other than that, I was perfect. Suddenly, the level ended and the scores flew onto the screen. I saw that mine was among the top five along with Kurama, Yusuke, and... Kara and Corri?! My eyes narrowed. So, they too had entered into the competition. Did these girls ever get tired of losing? I would show them that they could never defeat me. I listened as others were dismissed from the stage. Then Koenma began to speak. "We have our twelve contestants. We will eliminate four, than another four, then two, and finally one till we have our winner. May the next round begin!" Immediately, the screen was replaced with forestry. I was surprised to see the song was on I sang- Kuchibue ga Kikoeru. The difficulty was average and I fumed silently. I would 'talk' with Koenma later. Obviously this was not the same DDR they carried in Ningen stores. As the level started, I moved to the arrows. Halfway through the song though, I heard someone singing along. It was Kurama! While listening to him, I missed an arrow. Disgruntled, I returned my concentration to the game. Kurama you ass- singing along to my song. I thought angrily. I was glad the crowd couldn't see me. Finally, the song ended. The screen switched to the scores and I looked for my name. I was ranked third, but what angered me was the fact that Kara was second. Kurama in first I could handle, but a ningen girl? I could envision her taunting me from inside her booth and clenched my fist. Then suddenly, I got an idea. While Koenma dismissed four contestants, I opened my Jagan eye and used it to look into the booths beside me. Kurama was waiting patiently on my left, and Yusuke was on my right. Farther down was Corri and Kara, and then three other people didn't recognize. When Koenma started to address us, I shut my third eye and turned back to the screen. "And let the third round begin!" He announced. The picture changed once more- this time to a beach environment. The song was "Say Yeah" by Morning Musume and was of an intermediate difficulty level. When we began there were a lot more arrows and I struggled to keep up. Eventually I got into the rhythm of the song and only missed two or three arrows. A single bead of sweat rolled down my forehead as the song ended. As the rankings came up on the screen, I grinned. Kurama and I were on top, then there was Kara and Corri. The others left their booths. I heard Yusuke curse angrily and I let out a low chuckle. "We are reaching our last two rounds. For the semi-finals, we'll be doing something special," Koenma explained. As he said this the walls on the booth fell to the ground and the screens sank down underneath the stage. The four of us now faced the crowd with just our dance pads beneath us. "For the finals and semi-final rounds you'll be looking at the big screen which will be split into different sections for each of you to follow. As you dance the camera will film your movements, replaying them on a screen behind you that faces the crowd," Koenma went on. As if to confirm this, a large screen dropped down in front of us and turned on. There were a few smaller screens on either side of the stage that showed us standing quietly. "Turn your dance pads around to face the big screen. We'll be starting soon," Koenma instructed as he walked out of sight. "Well, this should be fun," Corri exclaimed as she looked to Kurama and I. "Indeed," Kurama agreed. "Ha. Fun? Yes, it'll be fun to defeat you," I declared boldly. "Oh yeah? How about you put your money where your mouth is?" Kara challenged. "State your terms ningen," I hissed back. "If you lose to any one of us, you have to summon Kokuryuha and set it loose over the ocean. Then, you have to dance for us," Kara stated with a smile. "Is that all? What's in it for you? If I win, I want you to jump off this ship from the top deck," I declared. "All right. Do we have a deal?" She asked. "Yes, I will thoroughly enjoy this," I stated. Kara grinned and nodded while Kurama shook his head. "Hotheaded as always Hiei. I wouldn't expect anything less from a Koorime like you, but it will be your undoing," Kurama warned. "Ursai. I never asked you kitsune," I snapped. Before we could say anymore, the large screen in front of us changed. What we saw was a space scene with shooting stars. The difficulty was hard and the song was one I had never heard before. It was by the Spice Girls, "If you wanna be my lover". Suddenly, the music kicked on and the arrows came flying across the giant TV set. The four of us moved in unison to the beat and the pace was fast. Our eyes were glued to the screen, too busy to focus on eachother. Some parts of the song had more arrows than others. There was one certain part where I messed up and the screen screamed: 'poor' at me in bright letters. I grimaced and used my speed to get back into the rhythm. Suddenly, the level ended and Koenma returned to the stage. "In first place was Kurama, and second... Hiei," Koenma announced. I looked to Corri and Kara with a smug smile and they glared back as they left the dance floor. Their dance pads were quickly removed as Koenma went on. "We now have our two finalists. For the last round, we're having a special song played... enjoy," Koenma explained. I was curious to see what this special song was, but I never expected Kuwabara to come up with a microphone in hand. "Hey everybody. Koenma wanted me to announce the next song. It's called Kaze no Yasei no you Ni and will be sung by Kurama and Hiei while they dance... if they don't sing, points will be taken off their score and um... yeah... that's all," Kuwabara finished. Spoken like a true idiot. I thought sourly. I couldn't believe it- even when Kuwabara handed us the headsets, I couldn't grasp what was happening. The screen before us changed to show pictures of Kurama and I. The name of our song popped up with another difficulty level of hard. "You planned this, didn't you kitsune?" I hissed as I adjusted my microphone. Kurama smiled. Well, I would never back down from a challenge, especially since I had a bet to win. All I had to do was sing and dance better than Kurama...crap- this was going to be hard. "Begin!" Kuwabara announced as he moved off the stage. As the music began, Kurama and I moved to match the arrows. Our screen was split in two- one half for me, the other for Kurama. Strangely enough, our parts were different. In the beginning we moved together, but as I started to sing, his part slowed while mine became more complex. "Kaze ga hashiru, ore wo yobu mugon no harkike-n. Are wa sain kessen no aizu darou..." Miraculously, I didn't mess up once, then Kurama sang and my arrows lessoned. "Sou, kono inochi yori, aa omoi yume wo. Kanaeru tame no hi ga kita saa..." "Kokoro, mama ni tada fighting to dream. Dare ni mo jama sasenai. Unmei nado jibun de kimete yaru. Kaze no you ni tada shooting to dream. Kako no itami tachikeitte. Kono ted de ima mirai mo kimete yaru- get chance!" When we sang the chorus, both of us had to move quickly. Left, right, left right, up down- everything became a blur. Then, my verse came again, then Kurama, and so on. When our song came to a close, the crowd roared and our scores popped up. To my surprise, we had tied. Yet again, Kuwabara came up.  
  
"Because Kurama and Hiei tied, we're having another round. This time, I'm going to sing with them while they dance," Kuwabara announced with a grin. "Boo!" The crowd shouted through the screen behind us. I said nothing and smiled. "Shut up!" Kuwabara screamed as the screen background switched. It now had pictures of Kurama, Kuwabara and I all playing our instruments. It looked like they had been taken the night before. What song would they make us sing now? Then, I saw the song name along with the difficulty- Expert. My eyes widened. Anything but this song! But there was no way out now. We would have to sing Eye to Eye in front of everyone. Before I knew it, Kurama and I were dancing crazily while Kuwabara sang. "Ano hi no, sora no iro, wasureya, shinai ze. Tagai ni, chikara tsukite, toarete mama miteta..." I grimaced as my turn came and I had to dance faster.  
  
"Tekagen nashi de naguri ate, hajimete wakaru no sa. Chachi na yuujou nanka yori mo. Shinjirareru mono!" During the chorus, both Kurama and I moved in unison. "Kotoba nado nakute mo eye to eye. Tsutawaru omoi wa. Tatakatta mono dake ga shitte iru..." Kurama's voice made me relax. "Kagegae no, nai kizuna sa- Shakin' Heart!" Then, Kuwabara sang again and we could catch our breath momentarily. "Toki ni wa, kizutsuite mo, itami wo kakushite. Otoko wa, tatakawanakya naranai koto mo aru!" I was able to glance at Kurama just before I sang my next verse. "Nagusameta nara tsuraku naru to. Wakatte, iru hazu sa. Damatta mama de atsui kimochi- uketomete kure yo!" "Kotoba nado nakute mo eye to eye. Yuuki ga, waku kara. Kanashimi no egao ni karerareru..." "Yasashisa no, hontou no imi... Shinin on!" We got through most of the song when finally, I heard the instrumental part come on. Kurama and I moved in unison, our legs and feet moving in all directions. Suddenly, the arrows slowed. Together, Kurama and I sang: "Kotoba nado nakute mo, eye to eye... "I can get you..." As I did my part though, I almost choked on my words. On the screen was now a picture of Kurama and I... kissing. My anger boiled to the highest ever, but I remembered the bet I had made at the last second. "You can get me," Kurama answered as he blushed. Together we continued to dance as the crowd cheered, laughed, and talked. Thankfully, the picture switched back to the original and I was able to focus again. I wasn't sure how many steps I had missed, but I didn't care. As soon as I finished this, whoever was responsible would die. Finally, the song ended and Koenma walked up. Without delay, I took out my katana and approached him. "Wait! Before you kill me, hear me out!" Koenma yelped. Stopping my attack at the last second, I allowed my blade to rest on Koenma's neck and glared at him. "It was a mistake Hiei! I didn't mean for that picture to show up. I was getting ready to delete it, but I probably put it into the wrong file by accident," Koenma said feverishly. "You better hope so. Someone has to pay. Explain to the ningens. Tell them the truth," I growled. "Yes, of course. Just don't do anything you'd regret. You're free now- it'd be a shame for me to have to put you on probation again," He reminded me. "Hn," I muttered as I sheathed my sword. Still furious, I stood beside Kurama and waited for the final verdict. After cleaning his throat, Koenma took the microphone from Kuwabara and he left the stage. Facing the crowd, Koenma stated: "The picture in the middle of song was created on photo shop, Hiei and Kurama are straight, and- Before Koenma got his words out, the crowd started to protest. Furious, I opened my Jagan eye. Clenching my right arm, I summoned up my spirit energy to lure the great dragon from the depths of the Spirit World. Before I finished though, Kurama nudged me. "Hiei, don't!" He pleaded. Angrily, I shut my third eye and crossed my arms. "Chikuso Kurama! Don't be a baka. Do you really want them to think that about us?" I demanded. "But it's incorrect- a rumor, nothing more. Don't get worked up over it or they'll continue saying it," Kurama instructed. "Hn," I spat. Clearing his throat again Koenma got the crowd's attention. "Anyway, allow me to announce the winner. The scores were 205 and 200. The champion of our dance competition is...Kurama!" Koenma exclaimed. The onlookers roared and although I had lost, I couldn't help but smile. Now I had to summon Kokuryuha... it wouldn't be my fault if the dragon accidentally attacked the ship... but then, I remembered my other part of the deal. I would have to dance.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"We'll be home soon... are you eager to return?" Kurama asked gently as the wind waved through his hair.  
"Any place in the Ningenkai would be better than this hellhole," I declared as I stared out over the waves. Kurama said nothing.  
It was close to midnight, yet the deck was lit up. A few couples walked along the railing, talking quietly. Kurama and I were waiting for Corri and Kara to show up. I was not the type to back down from a bet- no matter how ridiculous. Finally, I saw the girls approaching us from afar. Kurama and I turned to face them. They were still dressed in their dance clothes- baggy pants and T-shirts.  
"Konbanwa Hiei-kun," Corri greeted with a smile.  
"Hey Hiei, ready to dance?" Kara asked with a gleam in her eye.  
"Yes, just as I said, but don't boast onna. You didn't make it to the last around," I reminded her sharply. Kara and Corri were silent as I opened my Jagan eye. Turning away from them, I flexed my right hand and stretched it out in front of me. I watched quietly as dark energy flowed out of my body and to my fingertips. Pushing out my ki, I waited patiently for the Dragon of the Darkness Flame to appear. It knew me well and would come when I lured it appropriately. Suddenly, I felt a great power coming at me from somewhere over the ocean... and then, I saw it- the ferocious dragon known throughout the Reikai- Kokuryuha. Corri and Kara gasped and Kurama stood calmly beside me. Finally, I cut off my energy and let Kokuryuha circle the cruise ship. Despite my desire to release it fully, if I permitted it to do so, I would be held responsibly for the deaths of ningens and imprisoned once more. So, I held it off with the little energy that I had left, letting it know not to come any nearer. "All right, now I suppose you want me to dance," I said as I turned to face the girls. Deciding just to get it over with I put my arms up and moved my body to a beat in my head. After I had danced for a few minutes, I stopped and looked to them. "There, I've done as you said. Now, go before I kill you," I mumbled. Exchanging glances, Kara and Corri smiled and giggled. Without another word they left, laughing loudly. "Why are those bakas so amused?" I asked suspiciously. I looked to Kurama who smiled and looked away. "Nanda?" I questioned, seeing that he was about to laugh as well. "Um, Hiei... your fly is down," Kurama whispered. "Huh?" I asked perplexed. Silently, Kurama pointed down at my pants. I looked a blushed crimson. While Kurama looked away, I zipped it up. It seemed that I was the baka of the day. I hated this... Once Kokuryuha ran out of steam and returned to the Reikai, Kurama and I went back to our rooms. I was about to enter mine when he stopped me. "Come inside Hiei- Yusuke and Kuwabara are sharing their quarters again," Kurama explained. "Why the change of plans?" I asked darkly. "There are no strings attached, I assure you. I just thought that'd you'd like a break from the idiocy considering it's the last night of the cruise," Kurama answered with a small laugh. "Fine," I sighed. Without another word I followed Kurama back into our room and sat down wearily on my bed. Kurama went quietly into the bathroom to get changed and ready for bed. I merely kicked off my shoes and laid back. It was then that I realized I never got my revenge on Yusuke for giving me that chocolate... I was extremely tired. It seemed that the energy I had received from the desserts was finally starting to wear off. I never knew dancing could take so much out of you. Plus, I had summoned the Dragon of the Darkness Flame. I would have to wait awhile before my strength returned. I closed my eyes and opened them a moment later to see Kurama walking pass me. I had to blink twice though, for I swore he now had fox ears and a tail. I kept blinking, but they never disappeared. Slowly, his hair turned silver and he looked at me with his golden eyes. "Youko- what are you doing here? How did you get free of Shuuichi?" I questioned surprised. "That's for me to know and you to find out Hiei. For now, I would like some freedom. Is there anything valuable around? I feel up for a challenge," Youko exclaimed, his eyes shining mischievously. "Ha. There's nothing of worth on this ship. Just a bunch of ningens," I replied sourly. At this, Youko Kurama frowned. "Hm. I see. Well then, I guess I will just have to create some fun... how about coming along Hiei. Causing some mischief could do us good," He persuaded with a sly smile. I stared at Youko for a while- the truest expression of Kurama's power. Well, why not? It was the last night after all. Might as well have some fun.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner," I whispered as I smirked in the darkness.  
"Well, we can't all be handsome and intelligent, now can we?" Youko teased as he took a rose out from inside his hair. With a flick of his wrist it changed into his deadly Rose Whip. Carefully, he began slicing through the metal beneath us, leaving small dents where he hit. Finally, he had made a nice sized scar and turned to me. "All right Hiei, go on. If my estimations are correct we should make it just as the boat goes under," Youko exclaimed. I nodded, and taking a deep breath, shoved my katana firmly through the hull of the ship. Instantly, water began spilling inside.  
"Hm, strange Hiei. It seems that we have a leak. Someone must alert Koenma," Youko stated with a grin.  
"Yes, what a shame it would be if all of these ningens perished," I added with a smile. Laughing maniacally, we walked back to the top deck, then made our way to Koenma's quarters. Quietly, we knocked on the door. A few minutes later, we heard a rustling as Koenma opened the door in his pajamas.  
"Oh, Hiei- Youko?!" Koenma demanded, his pacifier falling out of his mouth in shock.  
"Yes, it is I... we just thought you'd like to know... your ship is sinking," Youko explained calmly.  
"Nani?!" Koenma asked in alarm.  
"Yes, there's quite a hole on the bottom floor... it may be a few hours before we go under, but I suggest you wake everyone up," I added.  
"No! This can't be happening! Not my precious boat. Ogre! Wake up! We need to get Botan! It's an emergency!" Koenma screamed as he retreated back into his room. Youko and I exchanged glances before grinning and walking away.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Within thirty minutes the word had spread that we were sinking. Youko and I watched from the shadows as the scenario unfolded. Frantically, humans crowded around the rails, waiting for instructions and lifeboats. Just as they began to evacuate and the ground started to tilt beneath us, the lights of Nihoncame into view. I breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, we had returned to Japan. "It seems I must leave- my power is waning," Youko announced as he looked to me.  
"Pity. I was just becoming accustomed to your form. I'll wait for the day where you will no longer need that human body," I exclaimed. Youko nodded, a smile of gratitude on his lips.  
"And then we will truly be the greatest demon pair. How about it- you and I, kings of the Reikai? We'll wreak havoc together and become legends," Youko said with a laugh.  
"Something to look forward to," I agreed. With that, I watched as Youko quickly faded. His silver hair became crimson, and his ears sank down into his head. Finally, his tail disappeared and his former clothes returned. Seconds later, I was face to face with Shuuichi Kurama. He stared at me questioningly with his green eyes and then looked away. "Don't pretend to be sorry for them. You know you wanted to do something audacious or else your true self would have never shown through," I chided. Kurama looked to me and smiled softly.  
"Come Hiei, we should probably find the others," Kurama said, choosing not to answer my statement. Knowing not to push him, I willingly followed the kitsune to the top deck where people were feverishly getting into lifeboats. Among the mayhem we were able to spot Yukina, Keiko, Shizuru, Yusuke, and Kuwabara. It seemed like we were all present. Waiting patiently, we finally got our turn and all crowded into one of the small blow-up vessels.  
"What a great way to end a vacation," Yusuke spat sarcastically. Kurama and I didn't reply as the others commented.  
"I know! Man! It's cold out here. Why did the boat have to sink?" Kuwabara moaned.  
"Well, at least it didn't sink out in the middle of the ocean," Shizuru pointed out.  
"Yeah," Keiko agreed.  
"I had fun, but where were you the whole time Shizuru?" Yukina asked curiously.  
"Getting drunk and picking up guys of course! How else would I spend a cruise?" Shizuru answered with a bit of sarcasm in her voice. Yukina just smiled. As the others went on talking, I stared out over the waves, glad to know our journey had come to an end. When we finally got to the port, the sun was just starting to rise. I soon heard that no one had died, which caused me both relief and disappointment. And then, we were back on dry land. I couldn't express in words how I felt. I never thought that returning to Japan could make me feel happy.  
Later on we returned to our homes. I went to Kurama's house, unsure of where to go. We walked in the park, viewing the cherry blossoms. As we strolled down the path, Kurama started to sing.  
"I'm sailing away, set an open course for the virgin sea  
  
I've got to be free, free to face the life that's ahead of me  
  
On board I'm the captain, so climb aboard  
  
We'll search for tomorrow on every shore  
  
And I'll try, oh Lord, I'll try to carry on  
I look to the sea, reflections in the waves spark my memory  
  
Some happy, some sad  
  
I think of childhood friends and the dreams we had  
  
We live happily forever so the story goes  
  
But somehow we missed out on that pot of gold  
  
But we'll try best that we can to carry on  
A gathering of angels appeared above my head  
  
They sang to me this song of hope and this is what they said  
  
They said, come sail away, come sail away  
  
Come sail away with me  
  
Come sail away, come sail away  
  
Come sail away with me  
I thought that they were angels but to my surprise  
  
They climbed aboard their starship and headed for the skies  
  
Singing, come sail away, come sail away  
  
Come sail away with me  
  
Come sail away, come sail away  
  
Come sail away with me..."  
  
"What's that?" I asked surprised. "It's an English song. It reminded me of our cruise... Hiei, did you enjoy it at all?" Kurama wondered. I thought long and hard, considering everything that had happened. Most of it was embarrassing and utterly idiotic. If I had not been bribed half the time, I probably wouldn't have done any of it... but... it was an experience I wouldn't soon forget. "I suppose... but Kurama..." "Yes Hiei?" Kurama responded attentively. "Next time, can I pick the vacation?" I asked. "Sure Hiei," Kurama agreed with a laugh. "All right... can you teach me that song?" I questioned next. "Hm? Oh, Come Sail Away? Sure," He answered. And together, we walked down the sidewalk, under the cherry blossoms. Even though I received stares, I didn't care... because I was back on land with my favorite companion.  
"I'm sailing away, set an open course for the virgin sea  
  
I've got to be free, free to face the life that's ahead of me  
  
On board I'm the captain, so climb aboard  
  
We'll search for tomorrow on every shore  
  
And I'll try, oh Lord, I'll try to carry on  
I look to the sea, reflections in the waves spark my memory  
  
Some happy, some sad  
  
I think of childhood friends and the dreams we had  
  
We live happily forever so the story goes  
  
But somehow we missed out on that pot of gold  
  
But we'll try best that we can to carry on  
A gathering of angels appeared above my head  
  
They sang to me this song of hope and this is what they said  
  
They said, come sail away, come sail away  
  
Come sail away with me  
  
Come sail away, come sail away  
  
Come sail away with me  
I thought that they were angels but to my surprise  
  
They climbed aboard their starship and headed for the skies  
  
Singing, come sail away, come sail away  
  
Come sail away with me  
  
Come sail away, come sail away  
  
Come sail away with me..." When we finished singing, I couldn't help but laugh. It felt good to be home.  
  
* * * * *  
~Author's Note~  
Well, there you go- that's my Hiei fanfic! The only one I've written completely solo, and as you can tell, I like writing long stories. On paper this story was over 100 pages... college ruled paper! But I thoroughly enjoyed it and I hope you did too.  
Let me get one thing straight, just so you know, I am a firm believer that both Kurama and Hiei are straight- more Hiei than Kurama. Although I portrayed them as somewhat yaoi, that's not what I believe. I just find those sort of situations funny. Please read and review, I love hearing your thoughts. If you have any ideas for stories, please send them to me! I love writing and I'm open to suggestions.  
Okay, another thing. I used a lot of Japanese words in here, and you may be wondering what some of them mean... well, here you go!  
  
Arigato(u): Thank you Arigato(u) Gozaimasu: Thank you very much Baka: Idiot Chikus(h)o: Damn it Hai: Yes Iie: No Ja ne: See you later Katana: Japanese Sword Ki: Energy Kistune: Fox Kokuryuha: Dragon of the Darkness Flame Kustare: Asshole Nani: What Nanda: What is it Ningen: Human Nihon: Japan Ningenkai: Human World Onegai: Please Reikei: Spirit World Ursai: Shut Up Yaro: Bastard Youkai: Demon  
  
Well, that's all for now. Thanks for reading! 


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